January 6, 2021 will go down as one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. At a delicate time when America was navigating the transfer of power, armed rioters overran Capitol police and entered it’s hallowed chambers.
It’s a difficult day for me to remember. I was in the Capitol that day with colleagues, trapped like sitting ducks as thousands of rioters pounded on the walls of the building. Members of Congress like myself and Capitol police repeatedly begged the Trump administration for help, but none came. Multiple Capitol police officers and rioters died as a result.
In the days following the insurrection, I saw photos of rioters carrying rope, zip ties, and flex cuffs. I still shudder to think what would have happened (particularly as a Black man representing Georgia) if they were able to reach us before we escaped.
On this day, we solemnly remember the lives that were lost due to senseless violence. But we also vow to find the truth. The vast majority of Republicans in Congress have opposed the bipartisan commission to investigate the insurrection, a slap in the face to the Capitol guards that roam the halls protecting them every day.
We won’t stop until we find out whether Republicans were involved in the planning of the riot, why no help came when Capitol police asked for it, and how we can stop something like this from ever happening again.
Thank you,
Hank Johnson
P.S. I’m holding a virtual roundtable discussing what caused the insurrection, and media outlets are already taking note:
“Democratic members of Congress have planned in-person and virtual events on Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Georgia’s U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson is hosting a virtual roundtable titled, “Root Causes of the Insurrection: Securing Democracy For All.” Panelists for the 4 p.m. event include clergy and political scientists. People interested in participating can
register here, and the discussion will also be streamed live on Johnson’s
Facebook page.”
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