WASHINGTON, DC – Following the first primetime hearing of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol, Constitutional Accountability Center President Elizabeth Wydra issued the following reaction:

Tonight’s hearing was breathtaking. We saw with painful clarity how the planning and violent execution of January 6 marked the final attempt to overthrow the American people’s 2020 vote. The witness testimony tonight, along with what we heard in opening statements, demonstrated the horror of that day and the ongoing threat to our democracy.

Watching the video footage—while terrible for many of us to relive—was crucial, as the bipartisan Select Committee reminded the American people just what happened on January 6. This hearing was a testament to how much evidence the Committee’s painstaking efforts have turned up. They’ve looked at more than 140,000 documents, issued 100 subpoenas, and conducted more than 1,000 interviews and depositions.

Tonight was also a sober moment for the Committee that transcended party affiliation, featuring Vice Chair Cheney laying out in stark detail the timeline of that day, and the words coming from fellow Republicans—including members of Trump’s inner circle—talking about how they knew they lost the election. They knew there was no fraud. They knew that “there was no there, there,” as the Republican testimony itself showed.

The way we settle disputes in this constitutional democracy is at the ballot box. What we saw on January 6, and in the coordinated ongoing campaign around it, was a refusal to abide by that bedrock principle. That’s not American, it is not American constitutional democracy, and it violates the oath of office that insurrectionist public officials took to defend the Constitution. We must hold those responsible for January 6 accountable—whether they are former Presidents or members of Congress —and take the steps necessary to protect our freedom to vote and, ultimately, the future of our democracy.

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Resources:

CAC’s Wydra Discusses #January6th Hearings on Cheddar News, June 9, 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqfR2r_sMXg

CAC Blog: “The January 6th Select Committee Is Ready to Share Its Important Work. We Must Tune In,” Elizabeth Wydra and Praveen Fernandes, June 8, 2022: https://www.theusconstitution.org/blog/blog-the-january-6th-select-committee-is-ready-to-share-its-important-work-we-must-tune-in/

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Constitutional Accountability Center is a think tank, public interest law firm, and action center dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Constitution’s text and history. Visit CAC’s website at www.theusconstitution.org.

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