Tuesday, March 26

Attack on Capitol: Biden to Emphasize Trump’s “Unique Responsibility” on Anniversary | Attack on the US Capitol


It was a day that shook America. Joe Biden will lead grim commemorations Thursday to mark a year since the insurrection on the US Capitol that left five dead and the nation’s democracy wounded, and is expected to expose Donald Trump’s “unique responsibility” for the “chaos and carnage”. of that day.

In a speech, Biden will directly address the former president’s role in the attack and his attempts since then to distract or downplay the events, the White House said.

Biden has been “lucid” about the “threat the former president poses to our democracy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a briefing on Wednesday. Biden has repeatedly stated that Trump “abused his office, undermined the constitution and ignored his oath to the American people in an effort to amass more power for himself and his allies,” Psaki said.

“President Biden will expose the significance of what happened on Capitol Hill and the unique responsibility that President Trump has for the chaos and carnage we saw,” he added. “He will forcibly reject the lies spread by the former president in an attempt to deceive the American people and his own supporters, as well as to divert attention from his role in what happened.”

The president is also keen to praise the bravery of the outnumbered police officers on the scene and outline the unfinished business the United States must do to heal, the White House said.

Defeated in the 2020 presidential election, Trump incited his supporters to storm the Capitol and disrupt Biden’s certification of victory. Dozens of police officers were beaten and bloodied and the offices of Congress were looted in the worst internal attack in history against the headquarters of the United States government.

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Trump this week cancelled his own anniversary event, a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago farm in Florida that had been scheduled for the night of January 6, allegedly at the urging of advisers.

A year after the attack, polls show that Americans are still divided in their perceptions of what happened and why. The anniversary offers Biden, who promised to unite the nation, the opportunity to reaffirm a factual account. He and Vice President Kamala Harris will speak Thursday morning at the United States Capitol.

“The president is going to tell the truth of what happened, not the lies that some have spread since then, and the danger it has posed to the rule of law and our democratic system of government,” Psaki he told reporters on Tuesday.

Biden will put additional focus on the role of Capitol Police and others on the scene, Psaki said. “Thanks to their efforts, our democracy withstood the attack of a mob, and Congress finally registered the will of more than 150 million people who voted in the presidential elections.”

Psaki was asked at the press conference what the president’s message will be for the many Republicans who believe Biden stole the election from Trump, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

“What he is going to continue doing is talking to everyone in the country. Those who did not vote for him, those who may not believe that he is the legitimate president, about what he wants to do to improve their lives, “the spokesperson replied.

Other events on Capitol Hill Thursday will include a moment of reflection with staff on the House floor, a moment of silence on the House floor, a conversation with presidential historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham, testimonies from members of Congress and a prayer vigil.

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Four people died the day of the riots and a Capitol police officer died the next day. Since then, four officers have committed suicide. The crowd called for then-Vice President Mike Pence, who was presiding over the electoral college vote recount, to be hanged.

Trump supporters left damage in their wake inside the US Capitol building.
Trump supporters left damage in their wake inside the US Capitol building. Photograph: Olivier Douliery / AFP / Getty Images

But Trump, his Republican colleagues and right-wing media personalities have put forward false and misleading accounts to downplay the attack, calling it a non-violent protest or blaming left-wing activists. Even Pence has dismissed it as “just a day in January.”

Congressional Republicans are expected to keep a low profile or stay away from Thursday’s events. Trump was expected to create a split-screen moment by pushing his counter-narrative at a televised press conference, but he abruptly scrapped the plan on Tuesday.

In a sentence, The former president criticized a select committee of the House of Representatives investigating the insurrection of January 6, which continues its work and on Tuesday issued a letter requesting the cooperation of Fox New host, Sean Hannity, who exchanged messages with Trump and his Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in the days leading up to the attack.

Trump said he would cancel his conference “in light of the total bias and dishonesty of the Jan.6 Non-Elected Democratic Committee, two failed Republicans, and the fake media,” and that he would address the issue at a rally in Arizona on Thursday. January 15. January.

The allies reportedly dissuaded the former president from holding a press conference. Senator Lindsey Graham said to the Axios website who discussed the issue with Trump during a weekend golf game in West Palm Beach, Florida, arguing that “it could be dangerous to hold a press conference … It is best to focus on electoral reform.”

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Aside from the House investigation, the Justice Department is leading the prosecution of the rioters who invaded the Capitol. More than 700 people have been indicted so far in one of the largest criminal investigations in American history. More than 30 have received jail sentences.

Trump was banned from Twitter after the attack on Capitol Hill for statements encouraging violence. He was indicted by the House but acquitted by the Senate, leaving the way open for him to return to seek the White House in 2024.

A Washington Post-University of Maryland survey found that 72% of Republicans say that Trump is not really responsible for what happened, 58% of Republicans believe that Biden’s election was not legitimate, and 40% of Republicans and independents say that violence against the government sometimes is justified.


www.theguardian.com

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