TEXAS, USA — Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin remembers the chaos that unfolded from that Wednesday afternoon when Congress met to certify the 2020 presidential election.
“It was one of shock seeing suddenly capitol police officers racing around the capitol to try and protect it from the assault that was going on, the violent assault,” Doggett said.
Texas lawmakers reflected on the January 6 attack on the Capitol one year later, a day that stressed the divide in American politics.
Thousands of presumed Donald Trump supporters swarmed Capitol Hill. Men and women converged on the halls of Congress to protest the presidential election results in which Joe Biden secured the victory as the next commander in chief.
“Seeing later in the day after we barricaded ourselves in our office with frequent alerts, the damage to the very entrance that I use in entering the House chamber taped up because an insurrectionist was shot and killed there,” Doggett said.
Doggett believes the political discourse has only been heightened since the Capitol riot.
“I believe that our democracy continues to hang by a thread and it’s incumbent on all of us to refute the big lies that are involved and to push forward to protect our democracy. You don’t always win an election,” he said.
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales remembers helping the Capitol police protect the House chambers as protestors broke their way into the rotunda.
Gonzales’ spokesman released a statement:
“January 6 was a dark day for our Capitol. I was proud to stand with U.S. Capitol Police as protesters tried to take the House. Protests that day should have never reached that level of violence.
A year later we have no answers to why the Capitol was left vulnerable to these attacks or how to prevent another incident like this. Instead it has been made into a partisan issue. When I return to the Capitol next week, I look forward to continuing to fight for issues important to my district, like our border crisis and rising inflation.
I have taken the oath to defend our constitution from all enemies, foreign or domestic, twice: when I joined the Navy and then when I was sworn into office. Whether I am in uniform or in Congress, I will always put our country first.”
Republican Sen. John Cornyn’s press spokesman also shared this statement: “What happened on January 6th, and I was there in the Senate chamber, was wrong,” Sen. Cornyn said. “It demonstrates what happens when you get a group of people together, a large mob, and really it’s the lowest common denominator characterizes the whole effort.”
News Credit
Author: Zack Briggs
Publisher: Kens
Date: Jan. 6, 2022
