‘Democracy was attacked’: Biden, Harris speak on anniversary of Capitol riot

WASHINGTON —President Joe Biden connected Thursday delivered what helium declared was the “God’s truth” marking the archetypal day of the U.S. Capitol insurrection, the convulsive onslaught by Donald Trump’s supporters that has fundamentally changed Congress and raised planetary concerns astir the aboriginal of American democracy.

Biden’s disapproval was peculiarly blistering of then-President Trump and his convulsive supporters.

“For the archetypal clip successful our history, a president not conscionable mislaid an election, helium tried to forestall the peaceful transportation of powerfulness arsenic a convulsive mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. “But they failed.”

“Democracy was attacked,” Biden said astatine the Capitol. “We the radical endure. We the radical prevailed.”

The president and legislature Democrats started the time successful Statuary Hall, 1 of respective spots wherever rioters swarmed a twelvemonth agone and interrupted the electoral count. Biden drew a opposition betwixt the information of what happened and the mendacious narratives that person sprung up astir the Capitol assault, including the continued refusal by galore Republicans to affirm that Biden won the 2020 election.

“You and I and the full satellite saw with our ain eyes,” Biden said.

He asked those listening to adjacent their eyes and callback what they saw that day, arsenic helium described the harrowing, convulsive scene, the mob attacking police, threatening the House speaker, erecting gallows threatening to bent the vice president — each portion then-President Trump sat astatine the White House watching it connected TV.

“Here is the God’s information astir Jan. 6, 2021,” Biden said. “They were looking to subvert the Constitution.”

“We indispensable beryllium perfectly wide astir what is existent and what is simply a lie. Here’s the truth,” helium said. “The erstwhile president of the United States of America has dispersed a web of lies astir the 2020 election.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said events astatine the Capitol are intended “as an observance of reflection, remembrance and recommitment.”

The events see testimonials from members of Congress astir the unit and menace from Trump supporters who stormed the House and Senate chambers and forced lawmakers to scurry to safer locations successful the Capitol complex.

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto was whisked by Capitol Police from the Senate level and Sen. Jacky Rosen, besides a Nevada Democrat, led her unit successful barricading her authoritative bureau until the unit subsided.

The onslaught occurred pursuing a rally led by Trump, who urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and “stop the steal” of the statesmanlike election. Federal judges person rejected lawsuits filed by Republicans and Trump supporters claiming elector fraud successful plaything states similar Nevada arsenic baseless.

Congress was certifying the electoral ballot number successful the states erstwhile the convulsive mob broke done information barriers, attacked constabulary and smashed windows to get wrong the building, trying to hunt down Vice President Mike Pence who was officiating the ballot number successful the Senate. Pence had rejected questionable ineligible theories that asserted helium had the close to cull slates of electors from plaything states.

Congressional Republican leaders condemned the unit instantly pursuing the attack, but person since downplayed the menace to ideology that Trump supporters had posed.

Three Nevada men were arrested connected national felony charges of battle for their information successful the riot. They stay successful jailhouse awaiting trial.

This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.

Contact Gary Martin astatine gmartin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @garymartindc connected Twitter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.