NEW YORK, CMC – Caribbean-American Democratic legislators have been observing the fifth anniversary of the January 6 attack on Washington, saying that the impact is still deeply felt in American political life and political governance.
“An attack on the Capitol, during the certification of a Presidential Election, was not simply a moment of disorder; it was an assault on the rule of law and on the peaceful transfer of power,” New York State Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, the son of Jamaican immigrants, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
“Although the trauma continues to affect the victims, the deadly insurrection against our Capitol has become far too normalised, and is charging our highly polarised political environment,” added the representative for the 43rd Assembly District in Brooklyn, New York.
“We have seen a steady decline among some Republican voters and leaders in their willingness to condemn what took place strongly. Polling over the past several years shows a significant drop in the share of Republicans who view January 6 as unacceptable. That erosion of moral clarity is troubling.
“The individuals who stormed the Capitol do not represent every Republican voter, but it is undeniable that the movement was inflamed and encouraged by the President, who has since been returned to office. The fact that Trump helped fuel this, and is now in the very office he encouraged supporters to attack viciously, shows just how unresolved this trauma remains for the country.”
Cunningham said the allegations that the elections are fundamentally insecure are not grounded in fact.
“In truth, January 6 demonstrated the opposite: that our institutions, and the people who safeguard them, are resilient,” Cunningham said.
“Even after a violent mob sought to intimidate lawmakers and halt the certification process, the Electoral College votes were counted in the very same chamber, on the very same night. Our system held.”
Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Yvette D. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, said the deadly insurrection of January 6, 2021, was not merely an attack on a building, but a direct assault on members of Congress, law enforcement, staff, and the foundations of democracy itself.
“Today, we honor the extraordinary bravery of the US Capitol police and other law enforcement officers who protected our democracy and saw to it that the attempt to overturn the 2020 election results failed,” said the representative for the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn.
“We also remember those officers who tragically lost their lives and the more than 140 others who were seriously injured in the line of duty—many of whom continue to bear lasting physical and psychological wounds from that day.
“Five years later, it is not lost on our Caucus that the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election with false claims of illegitimate voting occurred during a year when we saw historic participation from Black voters in Georgia and other battleground states,” Clarke said, adding that participation resulted in Democratic victories up and down the ballot, as well as the election of the first Black woman as Vice President.
“This anniversary makes clear that the fight to protect our democracy is far from over. It continues because there are ongoing efforts to distort and minimise the events of January. 6th. It continues because the same bad actors who spread lies, fostered corruption, and violated the law in an attempt to overturn the will of the people remain active. And it continues because persistent efforts to disenfranchise Black voters still threaten the promise of equal participation in our democracy.”
Democratic Congressman Adriano Espaillat, the first Dominican Republican-American to serve in the US House of Representatives, recalled that he had submitted testimony during a special hearing led by Congressman Thompson and the Members of the January 6 Select Committee.
“Today marks the solemn fifth anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, a violent insurrection incited by Donald Trump, as thousands of his supporters attempted to stop the peaceful transfer of power,” said Espaillat.
“I was there, prepared to discharge the duties of my office and certify the election like we have following every general election since our nation’s founding 250 years ago. Thankfully, as a result of the extraordinary bravery of the US Capitol Police and other law enforcement, their attempt to overturn the 2020 election failed.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told a news conference on Tuesday, “We gather here on the steps of the United States Congress, the citadel of our democracy, to commemorate the solemn fifth anniversary of the violent insurrection incited by Donald Trump to overturn the results of a free and fair election.
“On that fateful day, hundreds of brave, courageous, and dedicated Capitol police and DC officers stood on these very steps and across the Capitol grounds to defend the Congress, the country, and the Constitution. A violent mob outnumbered them, but they were never overwhelmed by the seriousness of the moment.
“For more than five hours, they were forced to engage in hand-to-hand combat, confronting thousands of bloodthirsty rioters who Donald Trump unleashed. They were beaten with pipes, whipped, assaulted by bear spray, and pummeled by Confederate flagpoles. They were bloodied but unbowed. We owe these heroes an eternal debt of gratitude and will never forget their service and their sacrifice,” said Jeffries, who represents the 8th Congressional District in New York.
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