Washington, D.C. — Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Center for American Progress President and CEO Patrick Gaspard issued the following statement:
We must never forget the shocking events of a year ago, and we must be clear about the exact motivations of the assailants and their powerful instigators. Insurrectionists spurred on by then-President Donald Trump violently and strategically attacked the seat of government and the center of our democracy, intent on harming lawmakers and determined to overturn the results of our national election. The images of beaten police officers, desecrated chambers of Congress, and our elected leaders fleeing for their very lives are etched in our minds. Tragically, this was not a random and isolated episode. This attack was orchestrated by a network of ultra-nationalists, white supremacists, and violent militias that we have failed to adequately investigate and prosecute for years. These domestic terrorists surfaced in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and were met with the encouragement of the then-president and the silence of the complicit. January 6 was the inevitable consequence of inaction. Let us not fail to learn this lesson once more.
Many conservative leaders who initially condemned the actions of January 6 have now cynically pivoted to a toxic embrace of the big lie of a stolen election. And they have sought to undermine the work of the House Select Committee investigating the insurrection. Those who fanned these flames must be held accountable for their treasonous actions, no matter where the investigation leads. The House committee has already uncovered critical evidence and must be allowed to complete its work. Anything short of that would be a betrayal of our national values and threaten the stability of our democracy.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].