Six months ago, a violent mob stormed our nation’s Capitol with the intent of stopping the certification of our free and fair presidential election. They desecrated our temple of democracy and stained the steps of those storied halls with blood. Five people lost their lives, and hundreds of police officers were beaten and badly hurt. Countless others endured psychological trauma and now bear invisible scars that may never fully heal.
Jan. 6, 2021 will go down as one of the darkest moments in our nation’s modern history. Investigating this unprecedented insurrection should be a moral and patriotic imperative that transcends partisan politics. And yet, Republicans in Congress continue to oppose our efforts to learn the truth.
One hundred and seventy-five House Republicans voted against a nonpartisan, 9/11-style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection – putting loyalty to former President Trump ahead of their sworn oath to support and defend our Constitution and democracy. And, to add insult to injury, some are now trying to rewrite history and claim what happened that day was nothing more than “a normal tourist visit.”
But we cannot and will not allow the obstructionists and extremists to derail our essential task.
This month, Speaker Pelosi appointed eight members of Congress to a Select Committee tasked with investigating the days leading up to Jan. 6, what happened that day, and the roles played by law enforcement, our nation’s intelligence operations and the former administration. I am honored to be among them, and I will undertake this solemn responsibility with the seriousness it deserves.
The Select Committee has a momentous and urgent task ahead of us.
We still don’t have the full picture of how the insurrectionists organized, or who might have helped them. We don’t know what was happening at the White House while the Capitol was under siege. We don’t know why we were so ill-prepared to respond to this threat. And we don’t know how all the signs were missed leading up to that day. But make no mistake: We will uncover the answers to these questions, and more.
Unearthing the full truth about the insurrection must be a bipartisan responsibility, which is why I was gratified that Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney agreed to serve on the Select Committee, as well. I hope other Republicans follow her lead, and that they commit to following the facts, wherever they may lead. Protecting and strengthening our democracy should know no party.
It is my hope and expectation that this Committee will carry out a thorough investigation that culminates in a substantive list of recommendations that we can use to better protect our Capitol and our democracy. If we work together with bipartisan sobriety, we can assure the public that no matter the threat – foreign or domestic – American democracy will prevail.