Capitol insurrection- What we saw with our own eyes!

#TheBigLie and the Former Guy:

Trumpzi's #TheBigLie failed to sustain his dictator ambitions.

This opinion letter to the editor was published in The Standard: The Official Newspaper of Allamakee County, in Iowa.

#FormerGuy's dangerous Trumpzi big lie - that the 2020 election was rigged, stolen and fraught with voter fraud - had deadly consequences. 

For weeks before and after the election, #FormerGuy Trump repeated The Big Lie. Trump supporters were enraged and followed Trump’s directives to march to the U.S. Capitol January 6th. Their intentions were to break into the Capitol, to stop the certification of Joe Biden, as the legitimately elected president of the United States, and threats were made to harm Vice President Mike Pence, plus Democratic leaders and anyone who stood in their way.

With our own eyes, we saw the rioters beat Capitol Police officers. We saw the noose this mob erected. We heard them shout, “Hang Mike Pence!” With horror, we saw the mob break into the Capitol and the Trump flags hanging from the balcony. Rioters wore Trump hats and Trump t-shirts, and waved Trump flags.

Republican senators and representatives failed to debunk the big lie which led to this deadly attack on the Capitol. Now, the Republicans are giving life to another big lie - the lie that Antifa and Trump imposters were the insurrectionists, the rioters, and the murderers storming the Capitol.

Recently at a senate hearing, FBI Director Wray gave sworn testimony that the attackers were violent militia groups and white supremacists. At the hearing, Republican senators again tried to blame Antifa and fake Trump supporters. Director Wray repeated his testimony that there were no fake Trump supporters and no Antifa involved in the attack on the Capitol. Wray testified that white supremacists are domestic terrorists and the major threat to the nation.

Yet, instead of condemning white supremacists, violent militias and other Trumpzi-supporting domestic terrorists, the Republicans continue to lie and say Antifa attacked the Capitol. This is cowardly and dangerous.

Republican leaders are placing our democracy, our national security and our safety at grave risk. This lie will result in more violence, death and destruction by domestic terrorists. For the sake of our nation, it is imperative that Republicans put country before party.

From Karen Pratte, in Waterville, Iowa

P.S. Maine Writer-  The Big Lie failed in 2020, but Republicans continue to blindly support the Former Guy, as their dangerous messenger.