WASHINGTON D.C. (BRPROUD) — It is the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Louisiana’s delegation played their own roles in the historic day when supporters of former President Donald Trump tried to forcefully stop the election certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the November presidential election.
“What happened on January 6th was one of the darkest days our country has ever seen. An attack on our democracy, not an attack on Democrats or Republicans, but an attack on our democracy,” Rep. Troy Carter said.
Senator John Kennedy, Representatives Clay Higgins, Steve Scalise, Garret Graves, and Mike Johnson rejected at least part of the results. Troy Carter and Julia Letlow had not yet taken office.
Senator Bill Cassidy was the only Republican member to vote to accept the results.
“When politicians speak, people act. There’s a responsibility for politicians to put civility in our political rhetoric. We can disagree but we have to be able to discuss and debate differences without vilifying and without making the other person the enemy,” Sen. Cassidy said.
Now a year later, some Republican lawmakers see the investigation into the Capitol Hill riots as a political move for Democrats.
“You also have to get out of the politicizing of this event that we’ve seen where they are coming in and trying to subpoena top administration officials that have nothing to do with the actual security,” Rep. Graves said.
He believes more should have been done to prepare the Capitol police for the anticipated protests.
Steve Scalise released a statement saying people who participated in 2020 protests for racial justice, should be held to the same standard as those that stormed the Capitol.
“I have consistently stressed that there is no place in our country for violence in politics on either side. I condemned those who broke into the Capitol last year, and I’m grateful for the heroic efforts of police and first responders who kept us safe that day, and who keep our communities safe every day. It’s outrageous that the leftist rioters and looters who ransacked our cities in the summer of 2020 have not been held to the same standard and prosecuted with the same aggressive zeal for the violence and mayhem they caused…”
Senator Kennedy echoed the sentiment.
“Without order, there can be no justice. The violence at the U.S. Capitol one year ago is as despicable and shameful now as it was then. Those Washington rioters should continue to answer for their crimes without exception, as should everyone who has committed violence as part of mobs or political riots. Louisianans embrace the democratic process and reject rogue violence because we understand that we are a nation of laws. America must always choose this path.”
Following Jan. 6, Senator Cassidy once again was the only Republican of the delegation to vote to impeach former President Trump for his actions on that day.
