Jayapal Statement on the Second Anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement on the second anniversary of the January 6th insurrection:
“Today we recognize a somber day for our democracy, a day in which we mark two years since the deadliest and most destructive attack on our Capitol since the War of 1812.
“When the House Floor was cleared on January 6th, about 30 of us were left behind, trapped in the gallery as insurrectionists invaded. I remember each moment vividly. I remember the pounding on the doors, only feet from where I hid under the seats. I remember hearing the gunshot ring out. I remember clutching my gas mask and cane so I was prepared to fight back. And I remember not knowing if I would make it out alive.
“I also remember seeing so many brave Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police officers fight to protect us from the violent insurrectionist mob. Some lost their lives, leaving behind spouses and children and loved ones. Many still suffer tremendous trauma and injury. And were it not for those brave officers, we would not have been able to return to the Capitol and complete our work to certify the vote for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The sacrifices they made that day, putting their lives on the line, will never be forgotten.
“But the violence we saw that day did not end when insurrectionists shuffled out of the seat of our democracy. It has reverberated in communities across our country, as the extreme MAGA cult has continued to stoke the Big Lie, undermine voting rights, and inflame political tensions and violence. I saw it firsthand, as a man with a gun showed up at my doorstep shouting racist and xenophobic profanities. As a country, we watched it in horror as Speaker Pelosi’s husband was brutally attacked in his own home.
“Thanks to the meticulous work of the January 6th Committee and the Department of Justice, we are beginning to hold those responsible for January 6th accountable. The January 6th Committee’s bipartisan investigations turned up disturbing details of the planning, coordination, and execution of the attack and painted a clear picture of who was responsible and how close we came to losing our democracy. Their work exposed how the President of the United States almost destroyed the country he swore an oath to by refusing to accept the results of a free and fair election. The Department of Justice has arrested more than 950 defendants for alleged participation. More than 284 have been charged with assault and 99 with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. This is just the beginning of true accountability. Now, Donald Trump must be held accountable in a court of law.
“Even in the past three days, the chaos in the House Chamber as Republicans have been unable to elect a Speaker, is another attack on the very institutions of our democracy, enabled and encouraged for six years by all those Republicans who refused to push back on Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans.
“Two years later, I stand with gratitude in my heart for a democracy that has survived and still survives today. I stand with appreciation for all the law enforcement that protected us on that dark day in history. I stand with deep appreciation for all the citizens who have voted and ensured that their votes count—because that is the nature of true democracy. And I stand with an absolute commitment to protecting our democracy by ensuring full accountability for all those involved in the January 6th assault, so that this never happens again.”
Issues: Public Safety & Criminal Justice