Can't get clutch pedal pin back in (2007 Civic Si 2L)

I'm an idiot. In the process of trying to fix my clutch, I've made things worse.

When I started, things looked like this (photo is not mine). For some reason, I decided to remove the small pin and the larger bolt pointed at by the green arrow, so that the pedal would be disconnected from the clutch cylinder.

Well, now I can't get the big bolt back in. It gets about this far and just won't budge. It seems like that side is the one giving trouble, as if the bolt is entering the hole at just the wrong angle, but it's hard to tell. The other side looks like this. It seems like it could go a little farther, but I'm not sure if it can go far enough to get the little pin inserted.

It seems like the bracket holding this bolt is somehow "sprung"? I have no idea how to get this thing assembled again. I've been messing around for a few hours with pliers and I just can't get it. Is there a tool I'm supposed to be using here? Is the bracket somehow busted?

Thanks in advance!