Statement from Congresswoman Joyce Beatty on the Fifth Anniversary of the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03) issued the following statement on the fifth anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol:

“We will not forget, even as the past few days have sought to test our memory and our resolve.  We will not forget what happened in our nation’s Capitol five years ago. We will not forget the violence, the fear, or the deliberate attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power. January 6 was a violent insurrection incited by Donald Trump. It was an attack on Congress, on the Constitution, and on democracy itself.

We will also not forget who stood in the breach.

Because of the extraordinary bravery of the United States Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers, democracy held. More than 140 officers were seriously injured. Some lost their lives. Others carry lasting wounds. They protected the people, the institution, and the democratic system this Capitol was built to uphold.

We will not forget our obligation to honor the officers who saved lives and preserved democracy. Congress passed a law to place a plaque at the Capitol recognizing their service and sacrifice. That plaque is complete, yet it remains unplaced. Failing to honor that commitment dishonors the very people who allowed Members of Congress to return to safety that day.

Since that fateful day, these defenders of democracy have too often been ignored, while those who stormed the Capitol are treated as heroes. We cannot allow history to be distorted or truth to be replaced with lies. When that happens, we weaken our democracy and make ourselves more vulnerable as a nation.

On the first day of his presidency, Donald Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 individuals involved in the attack. Some had prior criminal records. Others have gone on to commit new crimes since receiving pardons, including child molestation, kidnapping, and sexual assault. That is the truth, and we will not forget it.

Today and always, we remember the defenders of this democracy.
We honor those who gave their lives and their health.
And we will not allow January 6 to be erased, rewritten, or denied.”

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