Capitol riot January 6: Wisconsin officials offer statements

MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin officials offered their thoughts on the one-year anniversary of the Capitol riot in Washington, D.C. Their complete statements are noted below.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee)

"I still remember January 6th clearly. I was evacuated from my apartment because of a bomb threat. Then, I was escorted by U.S. Capitol Police officers to my office. I later witnessed the violence and chaos while barricaded in my office and watched in horror as domestic terrorists attacked police officers and invaded the Capitol and House office buildings.

"On that day, I knew that it was a concerted, organized effort to overturn our election. 

"I trust the chairman of the January 6th Select Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson, to uncover the truth and find answers, which is vital because truth leads to accountability.

"Though the election was eventually certified, we must always remember that day and how close we came to the end of our democracy. Republicans are using the Big Lie to pass anti-democratic, voter suppression legislation in states across the country. We must act now to preserve our fair and free elections and protect our country and safeguard our democracy. It is so worth fighting for. "

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse)

"Today, we solemnly observe one year since the insurrection on January 6 and the worst attack on our nation’s Capitol since the War of 1812. On that dark day, Wisconsinites watched in disbelief as a violent mob attempted to overthrow a fair and free election and impede Congress’s Constitutional mandate to validate the 2020 vote.  

"We will always remember the lives that were lost and the brave law enforcement officers who defended our democratic institutions. There’s still so much to learn about the events that took place leading up to and during the insurrection, and I applaud the bipartisan House January 6 Committee for their work to get Americans the answers they deserve regarding this day.  

"But we all have a role to play in defending our democracy as we move forward and try to ensure something like this never happens again. We must come together to heal our divisions and swear allegiance to our Constitution and rule of law as we work towards a more perfect union." 

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Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul

"Today we honor the heroic officers who lost their lives or were injured as a result of the insurrection that took place one year ago. We must never forget the sacrifice of those officers. And the individuals responsible for that attack must face justice.

"We also must rededicate ourselves to standing up for our democracy and the freedoms it protects.

"In light of the shameful attempts to rewrite the history of January 6 of last year, it’s important to be clear about what actually took place: The insurrection was a violent attack on members of the U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Capitol, and our democracy. Incited by the then-sitting President of the United States, a mob attempted to use force to block congressional certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election.

"While that disgraceful effort failed, the Big Lie that fueled it has not gone away. But it must. Because until it does, the health of our democracy will remain at risk from cynical, power-hungry actors who would use it as a pretext for taking for themselves or their allies the power that belongs to the voters.

"We must ensure that the insurrection is seen by future generations not as a precursor to further attacks on our democracy, but as a turning point that ultimately led us to do more to safeguard it."

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State Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee)

"As we mark the 1-year anniversary of the deadly Capitol riots in Washington, D.C., where a mob of Trump supporters attempted to stop the certification of the Presidential election, Wisconsin Republicans are hard at work on their own insurrection right here at home.

"Every recount, audit, investigation, and legal case regarding the 2020 election has confirmed what we’ve known all along; the election was free, fair, and bereft of any widespread voter fraud. And yet, Wisconsin Republicans continue to take actions to undermine its results, and to tilt the playing field even more in their favor for future elections. There are 3 main prongs to this strategy: investigations, gerrymandering, and voter suppression.

"Assembly Speaker Robin Vos continues to spend taxpayer dollars on a brazenly incompetent and willfully misleading investigation led by Michael Gableman, a man who fully admitted he did "not have a comprehensive understanding or even any understanding of how elections work." He plans to continue this investigation even as Elections Committee Chair and fellow Republican Kathy Bernier has begged him to stop.

"In a gerrymander on top of a gerrymander, both houses have passed legislative and Congressional maps for the next decade that, if upheld by the state Supreme Court, would virtually guarantee a large legislative majority for Republicans in both houses, and three-quarters of our Congressional seats, in a state that is essentially evenly divided along partisan lines.

"Finally, Wisconsin Republicans have proposed dozens of bills to suppress the vote and undermine the integrity of our elections in an effort to placate a fringe of their base who still believe in the Big Lie. These bills would, among other things, greatly restrict absentee voting, disband the bipartisan Elections Commission in favor of a partisan Secretary of State, award Electoral College votes by Congressional District, and create a process for overturning entire elections if there are high levels of absentee voting.

"The insurrection in Washington, D.C. last January was a shocking wake-up call to all those who care about the future of our democracy. Unfortunately, Republicans in Wisconsin, including the leadership of both houses, have decided to lean into conspiracy theories about the 2020 election in an effort to maintain their undemocratic power instead of addressing our state’s biggest problems. It’s no wonder then, that every single Senate Republican voted against an amendment I proposed last November which affirmed that President Biden won the election and which condemned the lies and violence by Trump and his supporters that followed.

"With over 10,000 Wisconsinites dead from COVID-19 and infection levels at a critically high point almost 2 years into the pandemic, you might think Wisconsin Republicans would have more pressing concerns to worry about than undermining our democracy. Sadly, chasing the Big Lie is how they’re choosing to spend their time instead, despite one of their own members nearly dying of COVID earlier this year."

State Rep. Robyn Vining (D-Wauwatosa)

"Today marks one year since insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent attempt to stop the U.S. Congress from certifying the votes of the 2020 election. This armed insurrection was a direct assault on our nation’s democracy, and while it failed, it left us with challenges that have lasted well beyond that disgraceful day. 

"Over the course of the past year, despite repeated confirmations that our elections are free, fair, and secure, public figures actively continue to spread disinformation and lies about the integrity of our elections. Wisconsin Democrats have fought and will continue to fight attempts to undermine and attack our democracy.

"As we remember the January 6th insurrection, may we reject the dangerous attacks on this country— be they through a violent insurrection, false election claims, or assaults on our citizens’ constitutional right to vote. And may we renew our commitment to fighting for, restoring, and protecting our democracy." 

This is a developing story.