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Assault on the Capitol was a tragedy, but there also is much to celebrate | Opinion

Miami Herald / Frederica Wilson / January 8, 2021

Personal safety is something that congressional lawmakers take for granted when we enter the U.S. Capitol to perform our constitutional duties on behalf of the American people. It is a majestic building, covered from ceiling to floor with exquisite works of art and craftsmanship.

But on Jan. 6, the world watched in horror as violent insurgents, spurred on by President Trump, ransacked this revered seat of American democracy. Their mission was to prevent lawmakers from certifying the electoral vote count for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and they were determined to do so by any means necessary.

Though heartbroken, I was not at all surprised as their abominable actions unfolded. It was not the first time we'd seen pro-Trump extremists at work, something I personally experienced after I spoke publicly about the president's callous treatment of the widow of my constituent Sgt. LaDavid Johnson. Indeed, in the weeks leading up to the electoral vote certification, I sensed that there would be trouble and reached out to a member of the U.S. Capitol Police to express my concerns about what we could expect and to discuss plans to deter any violence.

In the end, however, they were woefully unprepared for the mayhem that occurred.

As I toured the Capitol that night between votes, it looked and felt like a crime scene: blood, broken windows, documents scattered on floors, overturned furniture, the lingering scent of tear gas in the air. The images of the insurgents marauding outside and throughout the building and the destruction they left behind, as well as the harrowing hostage-like videos of my dear colleagues fearing for their safety in the House chamber, are ones that I will never forget. But what truly haunted me then, and now, was how vastly different the day would have ended if the predominantly white intruders had been Black Lives Matter protesters.

Months earlier, at mostly peaceful rallies protesting unprovoked police violence against African Americans, participants were met with pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets. In June, Trump even threatened lengthy prison terms for vandalizing or damaging federal buildings and monuments. What did he tell the vicious mob he unleashed on the Capitol that caused dozens of injuries and the loss of five lives?

"We love you."

Blame for last Wednesday's events ultimately falls firmly at Trump's feet, and he must be held accountable. The blood on his hands also includes the hundreds of thousands of people who've died from COVID-19 because of his irresponsible handling of the pandemic. The principles of American democracy are anathema to him, and for four years he has desecrated all of the values that our great nation stands for.

For weeks we watched the president wallow in his fantasy world of vote fraud and self-pity, and although he has finally, albeit begrudgingly, accepted defeat, I worry about what last bit of havoc he might attempt to wreak in the waning days of his administration. That is why I am firmly behind calls for Vice President Mike Pence and the White House cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to immediately end Trump's presidency and the efforts to impeach him so that he can never again seek federal office.

While this tragedy occurred during the opening week of the 117th Congress, there also was much to celebrate. With the Georgia Senate victories, on Jan. 20, Democrats will control the White House and both chambers of Congress. The hundreds of House-passed bills that soon-to-be Minority Leader Mitch McConnell buried in his legislative graveyard can now be voted on in the Senate and deliver long-overdue relief to our constituents.

First among them, I hope, will be the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act. Trump's futile campaign to overturn his presidential loss was not only an effort to steal a second term, but also a blatant attempt to disenfranchise the millions of voters — especially Black and brown voters, who played a significant role in his loss.

One of the most invaluable things that we can do for the American public in this next Congress is to ensure that everyone can make their voices heard and elect lawmakers who will listen and act in their best interests.

Now we finally can.