GOP Majority Leader Steve Scalise reflects on shooting six years ago which he
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise says he’s ‘lucky to be alive’ after miraculously surviving a targeted shooting six years ago at the GOP‘s baseball practice and is grateful to the ‘heroes’ and ‘good fortune’ that saved his life.
‘God was on a ball field that day,’ Scalise told DailyMail.com during an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the GOP’s baseball practice Tuesday morning.
On June 14, 2017, James Hodgkinson started shooting at Republican lawmakers at an early morning practice in Alexandria, Virginia. They were holding their daily team training to take on the Democrats at the annual Congressional Baseball Game.
Scalise was critically shot in the hip by the attacker and entered into a coma. He had multiple surgeries and had to completely re-learn how to walk.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise talked to DailyMail.com during an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the GOP’s baseball practice Tuesday morning
After being shot, Scalise entered a coma for days and is still recovering fully six years later
‘There are a lot of miracles that happened,’ Scalise reflected, saying the shooter was trying to kill every Republican on the field and had the ‘element of surprise’ advantage.
Nobody expected that at the end of the day, all the lawmakers would be alive except the shooter who was killed by law enforcement, he continued.
‘A lot of miracles happened that day, and a lot of heroes that were on the field,’ Scalise said including Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner and Rep. Brad Wenstrup.
He credited Wenstrup, R-Ohio, for using his skills as a combat surgeon to save his life.
‘He kept me I kept me alive to make it to the hospital. So just a lot of a lot of good fortune that we have.’
Scalise said the Capitol Police officers who stepped in to save his life are still ‘on my team.’
‘They’re good as gold,’ he said, pointing out that Crystal still works for Capitol Police and they all stay in touch based on their very real and special bond.
He told DailyMail.com that he is still on the road to a full recovery six years later after having nine surgeries and learning how to walk again.
‘I still do physical therapy once a week and you know, working on strength and balance.’
‘I have a couple procedures left to to keep getting better, but I’m lucky to be alive,’ the majority leader stated.
Steve Scalise credits the support of his family for his miraculous recovery
He remains close to Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner, who was also injured in the shooting
On June 14, 2017, James Hodgkinson started shooting at Republican lawmakers at an early morning practice for the the annual Congressional Baseball Game
Then-House Majority Whip Steve Scalise left the Capitol for the Congressional Baseball Game on June 14, 2018 – one year after he was shot
FBI employees and other law enforcement worked outside the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park, scene of a shooting in Alexandria, Virginia, on June 14, 2017
As for whether he uses skills he learned during his eight years serving as the GOP whip into his No. 2 Republican leadership position, Scalise said it has helped him keep a strong pulse on ‘where the membership is’ when he is scheduling floor votes.
‘You want to bring bills to the floor that promote the conservative agenda that we believe in, but you also want to make sure the bills can pass so you want a good pulse for where the membership is,’ he told DailyMail.com.
He works closely with committee chairs and touted the recent passage of H.R. 2 – a comprehensive border security bill – as a major success to get the country ‘back on track.’
‘It’s a fun job to work on the policy, understanding where the membership is,’ continued Scalise – despite some recent internal GOP drama.
A group of 11 Republican rebels have held up the House leadership’s priorities hostage since last Wednesday as retribution for the debt ceiling deal.
Scalise said he’s ‘always having conversations’ with members, including the rebels, and talks continued over last weekend.
He said some lawmakers are frustrated ‘in general’ about what’s going on, but he’s focused on getting the conference back on track so members can ‘move our agenda’ forward.
The annual Congressional Baseball Game will be held on Wednesday, June 14 at Nationals Stadium in Washington, D.C.
Lawmakers say it’s a fun display of some bipartisan fun, which is rare in Congress.
Coach Roger Williams, R-Texas, told DailyMail.com that the team has picked up ‘some pretty good players’ and they are ready to play.
He said the game has raised nearly $2.5 million for charity which ‘shows the greatness of our country and the greatness of baseball’ moving forward from the tragic 2017 shooting, where he was injured during the attack.
The Republicans touted their 10-0 win over the Democrats last year, a big accomplishment for star pitcher Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla.
Scalise will be playing second base during the Congressional Baseball Game Wednesday. He practiced at the bat on Tuesday morning
Steube told DailyMail.com that there is a ‘unity’ among the lawmakers as they reflect on the shooting six years later.
‘If it wasn’t for Scalise’s police escort, most of those guys probably would have died before law enforcement could have got there.’
‘Obviously it still physically affects the leader, but he’s out here and probably the first guy batting, and he’ll probably play the first inning at second base.’
Five months ago, the Florida congressman suffered serious injuries – including a punctured lung, broken pelvis and concussion – after falling off a 25-foot ladder.
But he says he is fully healed and ready to take on the Democrats.
‘I’m blessed to be healed and I’ll be ready to go tomorrow,’ he told DailyMail.com.
Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., said the GOP team has come out at about 5am ET every morning to practice for months.
‘I’m a Republican and I hope we win by a very large margin. It’s the best I’ve played in years and I’m really looking forward to it,’ he added.
‘Last year was a great game. This team is playing really well. I mean, maybe better than last year, but you got to do it on the field. We’re gonna be ready to play,’ said Scalise who will be playing second base.