Congressman David Cicilline of Rhode Island said that Trump’s conduct in relation to the Jan. 6 attack has damaged not only Congress, but also the democratic process and the dozens of people working within the Capitol complex.
He started by noting that the three people on the presidential succession line – then Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley – were all at risk, and the protesters made it clear his intention to harm Pence and Pelosi.
“This mob was trying to overthrow our government and it came dangerously close to reaching the first three people in line for the presidency,” said Cicilline.
The protesters, he continued, were prepared to attack any lawmakers they encountered, as demonstrated by comments made by members of the mafia on social media posts and later cited in court cases.
Cicilline said that “Trump’s true North Star is not America’s welfare, it is not the first country like our dear colleague John McCain. No, his guideline is Trump first, no matter the cost, no matter the threat to our democracy. “
The Rhode Island Democrat emphasized that the trauma extended not only to legislators who were at risk, but also to the band of staff members, custodians and food workers who work on Capitol Hill.
“There are countless people who are still living with the trauma of what happened that day,” he said.
Cicilline also highlighted the reports of journalists who were on Capitol Hill to cover the counting of electoral votes, but found themselves in the middle of the attack, reporters who for years have been labeled “enemies of the people” by Trump.
In addition to the emotional trauma inflicted, Cicilline pointed out the risk to public health, as the attack occurred in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. He also honored the three United States Capitol Police officers who lost their lives after the riots: officers Brian Sicknick, Howard Liebengood and Jeffrey Smith. Sicknick died of injuries sustained in the attack. Liebengood and Smith died by suicide days after the attack.
The injuries to police officers in response to the attack, he said, were extensive, as officers suffered concussions, irritation of the lungs and broken ribs, for example. In all, 81 members of the Capitol Police and 65 Metropolitan Police officers were injured.
“The Trump crowd verbally denigrated their patriotism, questioned their loyalty and shouted racial slurs,” said Cicilline of the emotional pain inflicted. “They called them traitors, Nazis, non-Americans for protecting us.”
The congressman asked senators to consider police officers, House and Senate officials and Capitol officials who were shouted at by rioters casting racist slurs and were affected by the violence when they finally voted to condemn or acquit.
“Is this America? What is your answer to that question. Is everything okay?” he said. “If not, what are we going to do about it? These people are important. These people risked their lives for us, so I ask you to respectfully consider them, the police, the people in this building when they cast their vote.”
Cicilline noted the unprecedented nature of the attack – with the aim of preventing a constitutionally ordered process – and emphasized that an attack on the peaceful transfer of power did not even take place during the Civil War.
But “it happened only because of the cold, calculated and conspiratorial acts of our former president, Donald J. Trump”.