January 6 Committee Lays Out Path to Insurrection in Stark Detail

Following the vote of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol to refer President Trump and others to the Department of Justice for prosecution, Western States Center’s Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Amy Herzfeld-Copple, issued the following statement:

“The select committee has laid out in stark detail how the events of January 6, 2021 were the result of a long and intentional effort by white nationalist and other anti-democracy movements to strike at the heart of our inclusive democracy. The attack on the United States Capitol is a glaring example of how Trump and his allies have embraced and facilitated political violence as a tool to empower their extreme agenda.

“The committee focused much of its energy on establishing President Trump’s unique and profoundly destructive role in facilitating the violent attack on our Capitol that day, but it’s also critical to remember that he didn’t act alone. His demagoguery was embraced, amplified and exploited by an existing network of white nationalist and paramilitary groups whose dangerous and authoritarian agenda has only grown over the last two years.

“The work of the House Select Committee was an important and necessary step, yet there’s still more to do to establish full accountability. We need a robust response from every level of government and civil society to challenge white nationalism and political violence as the existential threats that they are. Elected officials from both parties have an obligation not just to condemn the attack on the Capitol, but to aggressively challenge the bigotry and conspiracy theories that acted as an accelerant to violence. The rise of political violence and anti-democracy activity across the country is a political and cultural crisis that requires broad interventions.

“Based on the committee's findings it’s also clear that law enforcement has an important role to play in prosecuting the violent criminal behavior outlined in this report. It’s critical that we demonstrate real accountability not just for the individuals who attacked the Capitol on January 6, but for those who acted illegally to lay the groundwork for that assault.”

Earlier this year, Western States Center led 15 organizations in sending a letter to the Department of Justice asking them to investigate white nationalist organizations for their federal crimes. As these groups continue intimidating and targeting government officials and historically marginalized communities, the need for federal intervention remains clear and urgent.