On this day one year ago, I sat on the Floor of the House of Representatives preparing to speak in support of the validity of Arizona’s election results when armed insurrectionists breached the Capitol and staff and members were rushed from the chambers. All around me I saw people running, calling out to friends, and doing what they could to help one another, their faces full of fear.
But no fear bothered me so deeply as the alarm I saw in our Capitol Police Officers’ eyes. As a former police officer and homicide detective, I’ve seen and felt fear myself. The hardworking men and women of the force sworn to protect and serve the U.S. Capitol, members, and staff knew they were under attack. They were being brutally beaten, were committing heroic and selfless acts to keep us safe, and were, quite literally, holding the line to protect our democracy.
Their faces are what I remembered most vividly when we learned later that a brave officer was lost to the violence of the day and four more to suicide later, with 140 suffering physical injuries and far more from injuries invisible. The numbers are unbelievable, unacceptable.
Among loss of life, trauma, and a nation shaken, the events of January 6, 2021, showed us the power that lies and division can truly have.
The work of the former president and his allies to undermine faith in our election process by attempting to mislead the American public only served to weaken us and make us vulnerable to foreign actors who would do us harm.
But we can heal from this, and indeed we have begun to do so. We certified the 2020 election results, have worked to rebuild trust in our democratic systems, and must continue to protect the right to vote and the power of each American’s vote. We can only do this by working together—continuing to show up to the table, striving to understand one another, and putting aside partisan differences to improve the lives of all Americans.
Thus, as we reflect on the anniversary and the pain of this dark day, we must also think of the strength of what our nation can be—the unity we can work to build in our own communities that will create a wholly less divided America.
I am proud to be part of a Congress that resolved to reconvene as soon as possible on this day last year to finish what we started. We could not, and did not, let anything stop us from serving the American people and fulfilling our constitutional duty. I never will.
Congressman Tom O’Halleran represents Arizona’s First Congressional District.
This article appears in Dec 23, 2021.
another set of Pelosi talking points. I wonder if Anne Kirkpatrick is also going to have a screed published.
That brave officer you mention had a medical emergency that was determined to be not related to the disturbance.
“…….the power that lies and division can truly have.”
True that Tom – keep lying to us and dividing us.
Tom, Ask Pelosi to release the full video of that day. All footage.
Explain to us the last time Trump supporters dressed in all black with backpacks near the fences.
Explain why Ray Epps has not been subpoened to Jan 6 hearings.
Explain why there were so few Capitol Police there on that day.
Explain why they have never found the bomber seen in videos.
Explain how Americans can be jailed for one year with no charges.
You have not solved division but probably made it worse.
Just as much of the election fraud is coming to light in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
What will the public think of the great coverup?
Go get another booster?
Explain why Capitol Police waived the crowd into the building.
Democrats have expanded their race baiting lies trying to not lose elections. They have to because 50M people know they cheated in the 2020 election.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Democrat president Joe Biden falsely claimed this week that Capitol Police officer Billy Evans died as a result of election integrity protests on January 6, 2021, when in reality Evans was killed by a left-wing black nationalist in April 2021.
https://nationalfile.com/biden-pelosi-claim-officer-slain-black-nationalist-attack-actually-died-january-6/
Roughly one-third of Americans believe that President Biden’s 2020 electoral victory was the result of widespread voter fraud, according to a new Monmouth University poll.
I’m sorry. 33% of 330M is 110M don’t believe results.
Pelosi has refused to respond to public records requests of all her communications on security for that day.
The Department of Justice has refused to detail how many paid informants were in that crowd.
The Horizon show previewed one of their January 6th broadcasts with a clip showing hundreds of Trump supporters parading peacefully between rope lines through statutory hall of the capitol under the watchful eye of police, making them all criminal trespassers. The only person not between the rope lines? John Earl Sullivan, the infamous Black Lives Matters supporter filmed repeatedly exhorting people to violence.
Jan 3 President Trump requested 30000 National Guard and Nancy Pelosi refused it. This was a setup and the FBI looks to have participated.
Speak up Mr Epps.
If that is true Pelosi learned nothing from Gabby Giffords error in refusing security. These people can not make good decisions. How could they secure and protect our country?
Well this sure triggered the lying right wing terrorist traitors to the USA.
Nor one thing mentioned in the prior 6 comments is true. Not one.
trump never offered extra security, he reduced it to barebones.
Pelosi BTW has no control over the Capital Police or Congressional security.
trump attempted a coup with the help of his enablers.
End of story. May they rot in prison. Not sorry.
The ignorance and denial of the MAGA crowd is unbelievable.
Makes you understand how someone like Hitler can gain power.
Tom, You failed to list all of the perpetrators that were charged with insurrection.
There are many more identified, that need to be arrested. What is the delay?
https://www.revolver.news/2021/12/damning-new-details-massive-web-unindicted-operators-january-6/
I have never heard so much baloney in my life. Insurrection? It was a protest that got out of control thanks to known or unknown agitators. Loss of life? A Capitol Police Officer dies from a stroke, and an unarmed woman protester (Ashley Babbit) was shot to death by and idiot police officer who’s history and incompetency would have gotten him fired from any police department in the country. With the exception of course the Capitol Police. This country and the people had better start getting it’s stuff together and fast before we see the Constitution disappear and we find ourselves in Orwell’s 1984.
May 12 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump wanted National Guard troops in Washington to protect his supporters at a Jan. 6 rally that ended with them attacking the U.S. Capitol, leaving five dead, Trump’s former Pentagon chief testified on Wednesday.
According to Miller’s testimony, Trump asked during that meeting whether the District of Columbia’s mayor had requested National Guard troops for Jan. 6, the day Congress was to ratify Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.
Trump told Miller to “fill” the request, the former defense secretary testified.
So the question for Pelosi to answer is who delayed them? Because Trump had ordered them.
Did they set him up for this? Why else would somebody let this happen?