President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver remarks at the US Capitol on Thursday to mark the first anni...
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver remarks at the US Capitol on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of January 6th insurrection.
The pair will speak in one part of a series of events organized by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats in 'solemn observance' for the officers who died protecting the Capitol from the rioters.
Although it is unknown what the pair will say Thursday, Biden has repeatedly condemned the rioters who breached the Capitol while Congress was certifying the 2020 presidential election and has referred to the insurrection as a 'dark day' in American history.
He has also thanked the police officers who were on scene during the riot.
The White House confirmed Biden and Harris' visit on Sunday, the same day House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy issued a letter to Republicans that slammed Democrats for failing to determine how the building was so easily compromised.
President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris (pictured together on May 31, 2021) will deliver remarks at the US Capitol on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of January 6th insurrection
McCarthy, a Republican from California, condemned the rioters, saying there actions were 'lawless and as wrong as wrong can be.'
However, he also blasted the Democratic party for failing to determine how security was breached after an entire year and accused them instead of using the incident as a 'partisan political weapon' to divide the nation.
'Our Capitol should never be compromised and those who broke the law deserve to face legal repercussions and full accountability,' McCarthy wrote.
'Unfortunately, one year later, the majority party seems no closer to answering the central question of how the Capitol was left so unprepared and what must be done to ensure it never happens again. Instead, they are using it as a partisan political weapon to further divide our country.'
He also said Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) would be sending a memo to each party member's office outlining 'meaningful and measurable steps' that should be taken to protect the Capitol from threats, adding they are 'steps that the current majority party is negligent in acting upon'.
The White House confirmed Biden and Harris' visit on Sunday, the same day House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (pictured on Dec. 3) issued a letter to Republicans that slammed Democrats for failing to determine how the building was so easily compromised
His letter, shown in part above, condemned the rioters but also accused the Democrats of not addressing Capitol security issues and using the insurrection as a 'partisan political weapon' to divide the nation
The chaos on January 6 erupted as the Senate and House of Representatives met to certify Joe Biden's victory in November's presidential election.
In what was said to be the most violent attack on the Capitol since the War of 1812, supporters of defeated Republican President Donald Trump forced lawmakers and Trump's own vice president, Mike Pence, to scramble for safety.
Five people died in connection to the riot, and at least 100 law enforcement agents were injured. More than 700 people have been arrested for their alleged roles in the riots.
Pelosi announced on December 20, ahead of Congress' winter recess, that she was planning a commemoration with a series of events at the Capitol on January 6.
Last Thursday she revealed the events will begin with a 'pro forma' session at noon, where there will be a moment of silence and a statement from the chair presiding over the House chamber, site of a standoff between Capitol Police and rioters that day.
In the historic Cannon Caucus room, site of the famed House Un-American Activities Committee hearings, presidential historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham will have a conversation moderated by the librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden 'to establish and preserve the narrative of January 6th.'
The chaos on January 6 (pictured) erupted as the Senate and House of Representatives met to certify Joe Biden's victory in November's presidential election
Five people died in connection to the Capitol Riot (pictured) and at least 100 law enforcement agents were injured
This will be followed by 'testimonials' from lawmakers, who were both participants and witnesses to some of the historic and tragic events that day. Presiding will be Crow, an Army Ranger and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who comforted Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., while police fought to keep protesters out of the chamber. Members 'will share their reflections of the day,' said Pelosi.
This will be followed by a prayer vigil at 5:30 pm on the center steps of the Capitol, where lawmakers from both parties sang 'God Bless America' hours after the Sept. 11th attacks. Members of the Senate will 'join in an observance of the day in prayer and music.
The House will not be in session next week, and some members may not be in town. But she said a 'full program' of events was being planned.
'These events are intended as an observance of reflection, remembrance and recommitment, in a spirit of unity, patriotism and prayerfulness,' she wrote in a letter to her Democrat colleagues. 'All events will be live-streamed, so that Members can watch and participate from their districts.'
Meanwhile, Trump indicated earlier last month he had no intention of going along with the solemn remembrance Pelosi is lining up. He issued a statement bashing the House Jan. 6th committee and once again claimed the election was 'rigged.'
'Why isn't the Unselect Committee of highly partisan political hacks investigating the CAUSE of the January 6th protest, which was the rigged Presidential Election of 2020? Does anybody notice that they want to stay as far away from that topic as possible, the numbers don't work for them, or even come close,' Trump said in a statement issued by his Save America PAC. 'The only thing they can do is not talk about it.'
'Look at what is going on now in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, and, to a lesser extent, Michigan where the numbers are horrendously corrupt in Detroit, but the weak Republican RINOs in the Michigan House and Senate don't want to touch the subject,' Trump said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left) described the insurrection commemoration events as conveying 'reflection, remembrance and recommitment'. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump (right) announced he will air his grievances about what he calls a 'rigged election' at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on January 6th
He slapped the RINO label – Republicans in Name Only – on those who resisted efforts by Trump loyalists to claim fraud, although courts tossed out the claims by Trump allies in the days leading up to Jan. 6th.
'I will be having a news conference on January 6th at Mar-a-Lago to discuss all of these points, and more,' Trump said – before slapping the 'insurrection' label on Election Day.
'Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, it was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th,' Trump said. Five people died the day of the Capitol riot, including. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick.
Trump supporters are allegedly planning 'vigils' across the country to show their support for those accused of participating in the riots, the Independent reported.
According to the far-right group Look Ahead America, vigils are planned to commemorate Ashli Babbitt and Rosanne Boyland, who died inside the Capitol during the riot.
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