Bennie Thompson

It was a White House employee. I don`t know how you classify support staff.

It`s highly unusual to do that. And that`s why we more or less, put that in the hands of the Justice Department to make that decision.

It`s concerning. It`s important for us to get as much information -- about how this discrepancy occurred.

This is information that these Committees have been looking for, for more than a year and a half, they're just now finding out that this information doesn't exist.

Mr. Bannon will comply with our investigation, or he will face the consequences.

Justice Thomas doesn't like Black people. He doesn't like being Black.

I have long-standing concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Coast Guard, as well as the Service's treatment of whistleblowers and failure to hold offenders accountable.

Thank you to Chairwoman Watson Coleman and Ranking Member Gimenez for holding this hearing, and to Admiral Fagan for appearing before this subcommittee as she embarks on her historic tenure as the 27th Commandant of the United States Coast…

Thompson also said this won't be the end of that cooperation, that they are engaging right now, and as that engagement continues, they will find ways to get the Department of Justice, what they're looking for.

What happened on January 6, 2021, was another one of those moments in history that tests the strength of our Federal Government.

In the run-up to January 6th, Donald Trump had an obligation to tell his supporters to accept the results of the election.

We need to defend both our democracy and our freedom with everything we have.

American democracy, Mr. Chairman, is a precious inheritance, something rare in the history of the world.

He threatens to take one of America's two major political parties with him down the road to authoritarianism.

What this Committee, what all of us will do to fortify our democracy against coups, political violence, and campaigns to steal elections away from the people.

His desire to overthrow the people's election and seize the Presidency... nearly toppled the constitutional order.

American carnage, that is Donald Trump's true legacy.

Although that turn of phrase explained little about our country before he took office, it turned out to be an excellent prophecy of what his rage would come to visit on our people.

I wonder what former President Trump would say to someone like Sergeant Gonell who must now go about remaking his life.

Nothing he ever saw in combat in Iraq, he has said, prepared him for the insurrection.

A violent insurrection to overturn an election is not an abstract thing as we've heard.

If downfall ever comes to America, we ourselves would be its 'author and finisher.'

The problem of politicians whipping up mob violence to destroy fair elections is the oldest domestic enemy of constitutional democracy in America.

What Donald Trump was required to do in that moment--what would have been required of any American leader--was to say, 'We did our best, and we came up short.'

Any real leader who sees their supporters going down that path, approaching that line, has a responsibility to say, 'Stop.'