I was there on January 6 in the Capitol complex when insurrectionists violently attacked, aiming to overthrow our democracy.
Both for those of us who bore witness in person and for those who were farther away, the inaugural hearing last night of the January 6th Committee laid shockingly plain many more ugly—and violent—truths of the events of January 6th. The hard facts before the committee showed, as Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, the daughter of ultra-conservative former GOP Vice President Dick Cheney, stated, how Trump “summoned the mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack.”
Capitol police officer Caroline Edwards recounted what she experienced on January 6, as she tried to defend the Capitol:
“What I saw was just a war scene…It was something like I had seen out of the movies. I could not believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. They were throwing up. I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in people's blood. I was catching people as they fell. It was carnage. It was chaos."
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think as a police officer, as a law enforcement officer that I would find myself in the middle of a battle. I am not combat-trained. That day it was just hours of hand-to-hand combat."
Congresswoman Cheney declared: “I say to my GOP colleagues, there will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will live on.” She noted some Congressmembers were so fully aware of their criminal conduct that multiple, including Rep. Scott Perry, sought pardons from President Trump for their seditious roles.
Through the actions of some and the telling silence of many more, so many Republican lawmakers have committed themselves to someone determined to overthrow our government. January 6, 2021 was not a one-day, violent “riot” by a dangerous few. It was nothing less than a concerted effort to overthrow the government—a dagger aimed at the heart of our democracy.
The insurrection of the Capitol on that fateful day was not just Trump’s doing; his minions have continued spreading the Big Lie. As you watch the hearings, you may recall that Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel said this insurrection was “legitimate political discourse.” Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde claimed the insurrection was more like a “normal tourist visit.” It is not enough to replace the liar. Those who embraced the lie must also be held accountable for their seditious actions.
I also wanted to share an interview that I gave on January 6, 2021 from my Capitol Hill office. As we bolted the door and worked to keep Texans updated on the attack, I could see the insurrectionists storming the Capitol building. As they laid siege to the steadfast bastion of American democracy, it was clearer than ever that, with so many threats to our democracy, we must remain engaged to preserve what is so dear.
I urge you to tune in to the next few presentations of these powerful facts. The next hearing is scheduled for Monday morning at 9 AM CST, with another coming on Wednesday at 9 AM CST. You can watch them live on C-SPAN or on YouTube.
