President Joe Biden marked the six-month anniversary since pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, once again condemning the attackers and offering condolences to the families of Capitol police officers.
House Democrats passed a resolution last week creating a select committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Jan. 6 riot. The pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to halt the certification of Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, which former President Donald Trump falsely claimed to be fraudulent or “rigged.” At least two rioters died as a direct result of the violence, Ashli Babbitt and Rosanne Boyland. At least two Capitol Hill Police officers committed suicide within weeks of the attack.
“Not even during the Civil War did insurrectionists breach our Capitol, the citadel of our democracy. But six months ago today, insurrectionists did. They launched a violent and deadly assault on the people’s house, on the people’s representatives, and on the Capitol police sworn to protect them, as our duly elected Congress carried out the sacred ritual of our republic and certified the Electoral College vote,” Biden said in a statement. (RELATED: Pelosi Introduces Legislation Creating Select Committee To Investigate Capitol Attack)
“This was not dissent. It was disorder. It posed an existential crisis and a test of whether our democracy could survive — a sad reminder that there is nothing guaranteed about our democracy,” he added.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Trump supporters gathered in the nation’s capital today to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over President Trump in the 2020 election. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
“But while it shocked and saddened the nation and the world, six months later, we can say unequivocally that democracy did prevail — and that we must all continue the work to protect and preserve it,” he continued. “That requires people of goodwill and courage to stand up to the hate, the lies, and the extremism that led to this vicious attack, including determining what happened so that we can remember it and not bury it hoping we forget.”
House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced that the select committee on Jan. 6 will include 13 members, with eight Democrats and five Republicans. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has threatened any Republican representative who joins the House select committee on Jan. 6 with the removal of all committee appointments, however.
Nevertheless, Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney has announced that she will join the committee after accepting an appointment from Pelosi. She and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger were the only House Republicans to back the committee.