'Democracy Prevailed': Minn. Politicians Mark 1 Year Since U.S. Capitol Attack
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Thursday marks one year since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Rioters broke into the capitol building that day as Congress gathered to certify Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.
More than 700 people -- including some Minnesotans -- have been charged in connection with the attack.
Minnesota politicians, some of whom were at the Capitol when the mob stormed it, are marking the occasion.
"When an angry violent mob staged an insurrection on January 6th and desecrated our Capitol — the temple of our democracy — it was not just an attack on the building, it was an attack on our Republic itself," Sen. Amy Klobuchar said. "Yet thanks to the heroism of the Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers, we were able to resume our work and every state's certified electoral votes were counted. Under unimaginable circumstances, democracy prevailed."
Read Klobuchar's full statement by clicking here.
"One year ago, I was in the Capitol as it was being attacked," Rep. Betty McCollum said. "This attack was an attempted coup, and it did not happen spontaneously. It was designed to keep Donald Trump in the White House and betray the legitimate, free, and fair outcome of the 2020 presidential election ... After the House of Representatives concludes its investigation into the events surrounding January 6, I strongly believe all individuals responsible for planning, inciting, and carrying out the attack must be indicted, prosecuted, and if found guilty, sentenced to prison time. This includes the former president and senior officials in the Trump administration."
McCollum's full statement can be found by clicking here.
"On the first anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, I'm alarmed and deeply disturbed by the ongoing spread of toxic disinformation about our election system. It's the most dangerous threat to our democracy," Secretary of State Steve Simon said. "With the attack on the U.S. Capitol still a fresh wound, we need to defend democracy, protect the freedom to vote, and push back against disinformation about our elections. Part of that requires Congress to set minimum standards to safeguard our elections. But all of us can do our part to strengthen the well-earned confidence in our system – which is a model for the rest of the world. I believe we'll succeed."
Simon's full statement can be found at the Secretary of State's Office website.
Several Minnesota politicians commented on the anniversary on Twitter.
While almost 800 people have been charged for their roles in the Jan 6th Insurrection, those who incited it, enabled it, and whitewash it continue to walk the halls of Congress and Mar-a-Lago.
— Rep. Dean Phillips ???????? (@RepDeanPhillips) January 6, 2022
Phillips also introduced a resolution to make Jan. 6 known as "Democracy Day."
A year ago, we witnessed an assault on our democracy when the U.S. Capitol building was stormed during an attempted insurrection. Today, we must protect and uphold our democratic ideals by ensuring this never happens again.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) January 6, 2022
Rep. Ilhan Omar's statement comprised a thread on Twitter.
Today marks one year since the attacks of January 6th. I will never forget the experience of fearing for my life, my fellow members, and staff on a day designed to show the strength of our democracy.
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) January 6, 2022
Sen. Tina Smith also tweeted a thread.
A year ago today, our democracy came under attack by violent extremists seeking to undermine the will of the American people. Today, I'm more dedicated than ever to defending our democracy and ensuring that the events of that day are neither normalized nor forgotten.
— Angie Craig (@RepAngieCraig) January 6, 2022