4 years On the day Donald Trump incited the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Congress certified his Electoral College victory as the 47th president of the United States.
In her role presiding over the Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris oversaw events commemorating his defeat. In a twist of irony along the way, Harris was referred to as “Mrs. President,” a reference to her role as Senate president when states’ election results were announced. Final tally: 312-226.
In a video posted to X on Monday morning, Harris implicitly drew a contrast with Trump’s approach to his election loss. “This duty is a sacred duty. American people.”
Some Republicans seemed less noble, instead promoting revisionist history and suggestions that the “insurrection” label describing Jan. 6 was overblown. In a particularly egregious example, Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) falsely claimed in a post on “The U.S. Capitol Building.” Adding to the misinformation, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) told a reporter: “January 6th was not an insurrection. “I’m completely sick and tired of the Democrats’ narrative, the media’s narrative, and it’s a complete lie.”
As my colleague Mark Follman has documented, January 6, 2021 was actually a heavily armed riot that left 140 police officers injured, four participants dead, and five police officers at the Capitol. More than 1,200 people were indicted for their actions on Jan. 6, according to the Justice Department, and Trump has promised to pardon them.
Democratic lawmakers on Monday went to great lengths to emphasize that they are doing what Trump and his allies have not done: accept election defeat and promote a peaceful transfer of power. They also reminded Americans of what really happened on January 6th.
“Today, Congress will once again fulfill its constitutional duty to certify the election results. “This is a huge contrast to Republicans who tried to boycott the election four years ago.” Rep. Jim Clyburn (D.C.) wrote in X Monday morning.
Several Democratic lawmakers also shared photos of damaged offices and damage to the Capitol from four years ago. “The horrific videos and images of the insurrection against our Capitol on January 6 reaffirm now more than ever: The power of the people must always outweigh those in power.” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., wrote alongside the photo. Broken glass and overturned furniture.
4 years ago.
The horrific videos and images of the January 6 insurrection at our Capitol reaffirm us more than ever. The power of the people should always be more important than the people in power. pic.twitter.com/awY7Md49NI
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) January 6, 2025
Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) shared a photo of Capitol Police barricading his office doors and windows “to protect my staff and myself from the violent mob right outside my window.”
In a commentary published in washington post On Sunday, President Biden warned that it was important to preserve the facts of the January 6 ‘assault’ in the history books. “There are ongoing efforts to rewrite or even erase the history of that day. Please tell me we didn’t see what we all saw with our own eyes. They dismiss concerns about this as a kind of partisan obsession. To describe it as just an uncontrollable protest. This is not what happened… “We cannot allow the truth to be lost.”
Biden also urged, “Remember January 6, 2021, every year.” To remember it as a day when our democracy was tested and triumphed. “Remember that even in America democracy is by no means guaranteed.”
Of course, such a warning to remember what happened on January 6 was missing from President Trump’s conversation. Early Monday morning, he As he wrote on Truth Social: “Congress certifies our great election victory today, the greatest moment in history. Mark!”
