Alex Padilla: “I rise today joined by Democratic Leader Schumer and so many of our colleagues in raising our voices on this fifth…”

“I rise today joined by Democratic Leader Schumer and so many of our colleagues in raising our voices on this fifth anniversary of a dark day in American history. Yes, it has been 5 years, and some on the other side of the aisle may ask, Why are we still talking about this? I think we just witnessed why it is important to keep talking about this--because the lies continue, the conspiracy theories continue, and the truth must be told. We will not let history be rewritten. The truth is that 5 years ago today, insurrectionists stormed the Capitol in an unprecedented attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. The truth is police were beaten as a violent crowd surged forward. The truth is there were Members of Congress literally running for their lives, rushed out of this very Chamber and told to hide and barricade themselves. It was an attack instigated and fueled by lies, a coordinated campaign by President Trump to overturn the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election. Now, even on that day, as rioters threatened to hang Vice President Pence, Trump tweeted a message to them that the election had been stolen; that they were "patriots"--his words, not mine--that he "loved them" as the violence erupted. Special Counsel Jack Smith recently testified that President Trump was the "most culpable and most responsible person" in this January 6 conspiracy.”