Gallego Statement Marking One Year Since the January 6 Insurrection
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of January 6.
“Not since the War of 1812 had the United States Capitol come under siege. But one year ago, today, emboldened by the rhetoric of President Trump and his enablers, our democracy was pushed to the limit by the treasonous actions of violent insurrectionists. Though these domestic terrorists were successful in briefly delaying our democratic process, Congress returned to the People’s House later the same day to carry out our constitutional duty of certifying President Biden as the winner of the 2020 election.
“As a Marine Corps veteran, I never imagined having to use my training to protect myself and my colleagues on the House floor. I was prepared to do so, and I am thankful to the Capitol Police for giving everything they had to protect the members and staff in the Capitol that day. Today we remember their heroism and honor the memory of those officers we lost in the days and weeks following the attack.
“January 6th was one of the darkest days in the history of American democracy. And yet, over the past year, we have witnessed disturbing efforts to minimize, forget, and whitewash the attempted insurrection that took place on January 6th. While the enemies of democracy lost that night, their movement to undermine democracy continues. We have seen it in the continued spread of the Big Lie that the 2020 election was not legitimate, in the refusal of many Republicans to reject this lie and the violence it inspired, and in state legislatures across the country – including, unfortunately, in Arizona – that refused to accept the outcome of a free and fair American election.
“The truth is, if we want to keep our democracy intact, then we must bring to justice those responsible for January 6th, including everyone from those who laid siege to the building to those who sat idle in the White House or in Congress as their plans came to fruition. We must also pass the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and electoral reforms. To do so is not a partisan or political issue - it is the bare minimum we must do if we want to keep our democracy."
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