The disgusting insurrection that took place at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, will not repeat itself this year because Democrats are vowing to swallow their pride and certify Donald Trump's 2024 victory on Monday.
Unlike nearly 150 of their GOP colleagues—who in 2021 refused to certify Joe Biden's electoral victory, even after a mob of Trump supporters violently tried to keep Trump in power—Democratic lawmakers this year say they will not object.
"Today, I will perform my constitutional duty as Vice President to certify the results of the 2024 election," Kamala Harris, who as vice president is overseeing the joint session of Congress that certifies the Electoral College results, said in a post on X. "This duty is a sacred obligation—one I will uphold guided by love of country, loyalty to our Constitution, and unwavering faith in the American people."
Other Democratic lawmakers said they won’t object to the results.
“I will stand with my colleagues today to uphold the democratic process and certify the election results,” Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan wrote on X. “Democrats firmly believe in the principles of our democracy and recognize the importance of a peaceful, lawful transfer of power.”
But while Democrats vow to do their Constitutional duty, they do not want the public to forget what Trump and Republicans did four years ago.
In a thread of posts on X, newly minted Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California wrote:
Today, there will be no organized objection to the results of a free and fair election by the sitting President, no mob that marches on the Capitol at the incitement of the President. Today, there will be no officers maced by rioters or crushed in the doors of this hallowed institution, no offices desecrated or windows smashed by insurrectionists. Today, there will be an orderly certification of the electoral vote, paving the way for the peaceful transfer of power. We can, must, and will do our part to ensure that the same is true in every election, regardless of whether one’s preferred candidate wins or loses. We must ensure that our democratic republic survives four years from now, forty years from now, and forever.
Other Democratic members of Congress who were in the Capitol in 2021 wrote about their harrowing experience hiding from the pro-Trump mob.
“I’ll never forget watching with horror from the House gallery as rioters tried to break down the chamber doors, or the mayhem that unfolded as we ducked for cover and raced to evacuate the building,” Rep. Paul Tonko of New York wrote in a statement. “Several lost their lives as a result of that violence, and countless more were left with lasting physical and mental scars. … We must never forget the events of that day.”
Rep. Darren Soto of Florida wrote, “Four years ago today, I was trapped in the House Chamber as insurrectionists stormed the Capitol & tried to overturn election results. Today, I will return to the House Chamber to certify the 2024 results. House Democrats honor the Constitution & accept the will of the people.”
To mark the occasion, some Democratic lawmakers will be wearing black pins that say, "Remember Jan. 6."
Republicans, meanwhile, are memory-holing their sickening behavior from four years ago and expressing jubilation about certifying Trump's win today.
What's worse, other Republicans are trying to troll and rewrite history about what happened that day.
“On #ThisDayInHistory in 2021, thousands of peaceful grandmothers gathered in Washington, D.C., to take a self-guided, albeit unauthorized, tour of the U.S. Capitol building,” Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia wrote in a post on X. “Earlier that day, President Trump held a rally, where supporters walked to the Capitol to peacefully protest the certification of the 2020 election. During this time, some individuals entered the Capitol, took photos, and explored the building before leaving.”
In an op-ed in The Washington Post, President Biden said Democrats cannot allow Republicans to rewrite history about Jan. 6, 2021.
"We must remember the wisdom of the adage that any nation that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it. We cannot accept a repeat of what occurred four years ago," Biden wrote. "An unrelenting effort has been underway to rewrite—even erase—the history of that day. To tell us we didn’t see what we all saw with our own eyes. To dismiss concerns about it as some kind of partisan obsession. To explain it away as a protest that just got out of hand. This is not what happened."
