Five years ago today, our nation experienced one of the darkest moments in its history. On January 6, 2021, a violent mob, incited by Donald Trump and his allies, stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn a free and fair election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
I was there that day, sitting in the House gallery as we debated the certification of the Electoral College votes to make Joe Biden President of the United States. What followed over the next several hours is something I will never forget.
We were abruptly told the Capitol had been breached. Gas masks beneath our seats were opened in anticipation of tear gas. Eventually, we were ordered to drop to the floor as Capitol Police barricaded the doors with furniture, guns drawn, waiting for whatever came next. We evacuated through tunnels to an undisclosed location and were held there for hours with little information.
Later, I learned that people in costumes mocked the Speaker’s Office and desecrated the People’s House. I learned that someone had been killed. And I learned that she was from San Diego, from the district I represent.
That day shook our nation to its core. We owe an immense debt to the Capitol Police and law enforcement officers who risked their lives to protect us and our democracy.
Five years later, one thing is painfully clear: the forces that fueled January 6 have not disappeared. They did not quietly retreat. Instead, many are still working to undermine faith in our elections, restrict access to the ballot box, and cling to power at any cost.
Words matter. Lies have consequences. When leaders refuse to tell the truth and instead inflame fear and grievance, democracy is put at risk.
Millions of Americans voted lawfully in 2020. Those votes were counted, audited, challenged in court, and upheld by judges appointed by Democrats and Republicans, all the way to the Supreme Court. The Electoral College voted. Joe Biden won. Even Republican election officials, state legislatures, and leaders acknowledged the results. Yet the lies continued, and the damage followed.
As we mark this fifth anniversary, we have a responsibility to remember what happened, to honor those who defended our democracy, and to recommit ourselves to protecting it. That means standing up to extremism, defending the right to vote, and demanding accountability from those who would undermine our Constitution.
I love this country. I believe deeply in this democracy that generations before us fought and sacrificed to protect. And I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure that January 6 is never repeated.
Thank you for staying engaged, for remembering, and for standing up for our most fundamental values.
Scott
