american. it's not just words like "democracy" and "liberty." more than that is because an idea embedded in the constitution of the united states, the idea that everyone in america no matter how powerful is supposed to play by the same rules. and every american election is an opportunity to show that, to show what it means. unlike in many other countries our winners don't assume absolute power to do whatever they may want. our losers understand that their rights are preserved. they accept defeat. we've all been there and lived to fight another day. so on january 6th, a year ago, i was desperate to be in the house gallery. i wanted to be there to see the ceremony that would mark the continuation of the sacred

tradition. i was optimistic. at 11:21 i pulled out my little twitter machine and i wrote today is a celebration of democracy, the people have voted. the only power we have as representatives and senators under the constitution we swore to defend is to count the ballots, and we will. two hours later we all know what happened. we lived it together. we saw from the gallery the speaker being evacuated. we heard the hiss of the gas masks. we heard the voice of the chaplain praying, some of us tried to lock those doors. we failed. we didn't see what we saw on the video. we didn't see the battle outside, so maybe i wasn't as afraid as i should have been. but here's what i was thinking. i was thinking about moments of my life where i'd been in dangerous situations outside the united states. there was a time when i found

myself being chased in the middle of the night by riot police in a middle eastern city. it's a long story. i thought about a time when i visited syria and libya during their civil wars. and i thought how absolutely absurd it was that here i was standing in the inner sanctum of washington, d.c. and feeling the same sense of danger as in those places. how could it be happening here? i was furious. and all i could say to everybody as we fled and as we came to that place of safety in the house office building is the moment we got the all clear we had to go back in there and finish the job of certifying the election. and thank goodness we did. ever since those who want us to move on from january 6th that try to get away with blaming the rioters alone for the attack, it's like saying that the hijackers alone were responsible

for 9/11. the real question is what could have motivated those thousands of otherwise ordinary americans to commit such a deviant act? social media created the echo chamber to which the lies spread, but the root cause was the lie itself. today more americans believe the election was stolen than a year go. more americans believe that violence against their government is justified than a year ago. on january 6th, 2021, we thwarted the attack on the capitol. on january 6th, 2022, the attack on our democracy continues. and as we defend that democracy, let us remember there is no constitutional police in america. there is no constitutional jail in america. the rules underpinning our system of government and the peace it preserves have always been based only on our consent.

we either agree voluntarily to abide by those rules even when we lose an election or we lose our country. i do not want to lose the country that my family chose. i do not want to lose the glorious example that america sets, that our democracy sets for the rest of the world. those are the stakes. we cannot, we will not fail. thank you. >> thank you, tom. now i recognize my friend pramila jayapal from washington. >> thank you, jason. madam speaker, thank you for your strength and your leadership. my colleagues, this is a somber day for our democracy as we mark one year from the deadliest and most destructive attack on our

capitol since the war of 1812. like many of you trapped in the house gallery, i remember every moment vividly. i viscerally feel the pounding on the gallery doors. i hear the shot ringing out. i replay how to use my gas mask and my cane, nearly 5 weeks from a knee replacement surgery. and i remember not knowing if we would make it out of our seat of democracy alive or if our democracy itself would survive. but january 6th was also the day that we saved our democracy. and the "we" i am referring to is broad and deep. all the voters that came out in the most important election in our lifetimes that delivered us a new president who is not

corrupted by his love of power and lack of regard for our constitution, the many capitol police officers who put so much on the line to stop the insurrectionists, the capitol staff, the journalists, our own staff and so many more who were both witnesses and victims. and yes, all of us as members of congress who went back that night to certify that election because it was our job, the very thing we came to this place to do. the challenge with today for me is that we are not marking something that is over and done with. the am danger is still clear, and it is still present. our democracy is very fragile, and the cult of the big lie is still very much in action with the help of the vast majority of our colleagues on the other side who continue to try to rewrite

or ignore history. its own form of violence on all those who saw and experienced that day. and that is why the work of the select committee and the department of justice to bring accountability is so critically important because there is no healing without truth and justice. so today is also about the work ahead. it is about the resolve that we must have to not stop until every single person who was involved in the insurrection is held fully accountable. it is about bringing to justice a president who was dead set on overturning an election, and it is about understanding that january 6th is not divorced from the 400-plus pieces of voter suppression legislation introduced in the past 365 days. to take on this concerted effort to undermine democracy our work

ahead must include signing into law strong voting rights legislation. let us not gloss over the fact that in the year since this deadly attack we have all had to do our jobs and be human. we have done that in the face of the denials of truth and rewriting of history from the very colleagues who were running for their own lives that day. so i am once again reminded that being human is a courageous act. it means you are willing to fight for the things that are the hardest to even be disappointed or hurt or angered but to still do what is right and what is just because that is the only way that change happens. our courage and our resolve only grow from this crisis. and the responsibility that is upon us to protect our democracy for years to come.

>> thank you, pramila jayapal. i now recognize my friend and fellow veteran from new jersey. >> thank you, jason. it's truly an honor to be here with everyone today. my gallery group friends, the sicknick family. there were so many acts of courage that day. and i want to share with you i have a deep and abiding faith in the people of this country. i have so much hope in our children and so much love and faith in our country. and i want to share a couple of stories from that day so you know why. i'll tell you two stories of people who i was with that day and one story of someone i wasn't with. first of all dan kildy, i heard

you make that call to your family. i don't think you thought you were going to leave the floor safely that day. and yet you used that trauma, you had the courage to share it with people across this country as so many people have been suffering their own mental health problems. and i think in your courage in doing that people across this country have sought out the mental health treatment they need. when i think about that day i think of pramila jayapal who you just heard from. pramila, i can't imagine being on the floor, having the house attacked and not even being sure that as we needed to flee that room if you could walk. and as we went down stairway after stairway after stairway, when i could feel your knee buckling, your calm, dignity and courage in leading people to safety will stay with me. and finally, i have to share my

feelings about someone who was not with me in the gallery group who was there that day. you know, when you serve in the military you see acts of physical courage quite often. but when you get out of the military and you start serving your country in different ways you realize that often what is called upon is for moral courage. and you see acts of moral courage far more infrequently. and so i think it's appropriate to point out one person who i think has shown a great deal of moral courage, someone who stood up for country at great personal cost and that's liz cheney. a person who truly has done her duty to her country. and so as i stand here i simply want to say to all of you, god bless all of you and your

families. god bless the capitol police officers like officer sicknick who enabled us all to go to our families, god bless the congress of the united states and god bless the united states of america. >> thank you. now i recognize my friend mike quigley from illinois. >> thank you, jason. and speaker, my friends, the sicknick family. we all remember the images. there's a photo i saw the other day i'd completely forgot about. we've seen the images and we know what to expect. the broken glass, the guns drawn, the makeshift barricades. i remember sheltering in place but i saw something i'd forgotten. it was a reporter in the midst of all this bent over her

keyboard still working, right? you're right, we were in the breach. we were in the breach that day, but there were others there. jefferson said if he had to choose between a country that had a government with no newspapers and a country that had newspapers with no government he would choose the latter. we're all talking about protecting our democracies and that's an all together fitting and proper thing to do, but who else was a target but those whose job it is to try to bring the truth. the best they can to the american people. and those that stormed the capitol today believe that the truth is the enemy. so i want to thank those members of the press who may not always agree with us, but we recognize

you, that we are partners in keeping this great experiment going. the second image i want to remind myself of all the time is when i think of the officers about a half an hour before we began the debate i looked over the east capitol steps, and saw there was a huge mob there too itching for a fight. i saw three capitol police in ball caps, no riot gear, no proper equipment, standing virtually alone against extraordinary odds. and has been said i know i wouldn't be here without them, and i question whether our country would be. time thought, we just heard our friend ms. jayapal talk about the fact she was walking with a cane that day. and i say this with the greatest love because it is the

quintessential heartfelt moment that i was involved with personally. as we were walking along the tracks away toward our meeting room to get away, and i want to paraphrase what i think i heard you say something -- she was upset she was walking so slowly with her cane that she was afraid that that would allow the insurrectionists to catch up to us. and brad snider was just ahead of us, and you heard her say this. and he came back and walked on her left side, and he said, well, then we'll all just walk together. i was never more proud at that moment to walk alongside all of you. it reminds me that we have to walk alongside and help guide our country away from darkness

as we walk together into that bright light of our democracy. thank you. >> next i recognize my friend sheila jackson lee from texas. >> my former professor maya angelou said if they show you who they are that is who they are. the patriots in this room on the floor of the american people showing the world who we are. there was a scripture this morning that said let the light shine, arise and shine.

and i thought although a lot of trepidation this morning even to the extent of a restless night thinking of that day, i got inspiration from letting the light shine. to mr. and mrs. sicknick, i thought very extensively about coming back to washington simply to honor your son and those who lost their lives. we thank you. we say thank you to our law enforcement officers, front liners of all kinds, our essential workers. and yes, although they tried to get here early, thwarted by the lack of responsibility of the then commander in chief, we thank the national guard and all others. but i'm reminded of that day in the gallery. and as i watched a lot of

scurrying of my friends on the other side of the aisle, we were still in the mood of touting this celebratory moment. i heard joyce, our faithful sergeant at arms staff person shouting, close the doors. we were still in a days. and then i saw the capitol police rushing to close doors and then explaining to us get out, get down. i'm always with a scarf and books and papers, and there was a time i had to drop them all. and i watched our members going. each one in their own way was braise. and i know they want no accounting for that. but we were scurrying with the thought we might not live. i was here for 9/11. i was in the building in a meeting, refused to acknowledge the noise that was outside until someone busted in and said you have to run for your life.

on that day we were running together. we were running as republicans, democrats, americans. we were fearful together. we were hopeful together. when i went down those steps of the entrance and they said we don't know what's happening, run for your life. but the rumors in those failed blackberries, we were hearing rumors it's the capitol, it's the white house, it's the state department, but we could see the black smoke from the pentagon. but yet we had each other. as we were scurrying here, the big lie was looming and you wondered why were you against what was so good about america, the peaceful transfer of power? why were you not willing to listen as the vice president read today about a more perfect union or understand that we cannot bury history, as a

president said, we must remember it. we must remember january 6, 2021. on my social media i was called the b-word. so many people had those kind of attacks because we were calling for healing. but yet i can tell you that even as the phones were ringing and you had to say to friends, family, we're under siege but we're going to make it, those moments of camaraderie of our fellow sisters and brothers of helping each other, the idea that we cowered for a period of time, and maybe that's not the word. we bent down and were told what to do. the fact we could see those barricading the doors and heard the noise and hoping those doors would not yield. because we felt any minute they would be on the floor of the house. remember we could not see any

video and did not know what we were surrounded by. but the one noise i will never forget is the shot. i kept thinking are those gunshots, and that means they're here and their aims are good. for those in the cloakroom, in the speakers lobby, those trying to get off the floor or those in the gallery, they must have good aims or they must be coming in all directions. the thing that troubles me the most and i believe in the beloved community taught in the words of martin luther king and john lewis, he kept telling us about his beloved community and all his fights and marches against gun violence. he was always saying his beloved community. but it's shameful when we have members of congress in 2021 saying without the video they

just thought it was a group of tourists, denying truth. but i am here today to be able to, again, simply place honor where honor is due. thank you, jason, for your service and all others. you put on the uniform unselfishly because you believed in democracy. so i am here today now to ensure this little book -- to be able to say that day was a frightening day and i didn't know as on 9/11 whether i would live or die, but i was certainly in the breach with patriots who will continue to do that. and so all the members who are still accepting the big lie, the tourist day, attacking presidents and other members of congress, i can still feel that

we as patriots are part of this beloved community. and then when i was privileged to gavel that last moment at 3:49 a.m., that we had overcome. we had overcome, and that we'd never look back to say we could not stand together united. we would not fail. we would be those who stood in the gap. we'll be the ones who would be the holders of the breach and stand against evilness. and yes, we would say that we have worked and will work to create a more perfect union. and as well we'll coddle democracy, hold it, nurture it, view it as a baby needing our arms and never letting it go. i'm glad to stand before all of you as patriots. i'm glad to not forget the history of this nation.

may god bless you and god bless the united states of america. >> thank you, sheila jackson lee. next my friend from new jersey. >> good afternoon. speaker, thank you for your constant reminder what we're doing here and what this is about. and to those who kept us safe on that day. i came to these great halls from a slightly different angle, but we all represent our districts around this great country. i served with some of the smartest people i've ever met in my life, but i went to an

apprenticeship. i was an electrician. so when we talk about what happened that day, i'd like to think about the people i represent back in new jersey. i was really excited. we're going to certify an election. i'm going to have an opportunity to be there. wow, the peaceful transfer of power, the stuff you learned about back in civics class. my chief had talked to me the day before saying the staff is really nervous about what's going on and they'd like to stay home for the day. i will admit i'm there. really? okay, sure, no problem. we'd been briefed several times on the security measures that were going to take place. we're going to be all right, they got this covered. they got this covered. well, looking back on the 6th for many of us, that faith in

democracy was challenged, certainly shaken. i started reading the text messages from my chief that the mob was coming. okay, they'll handle this. they've got this covered. i'm a labor guy from new jersey. i've participated in a few picket lines in my life, but i will tell you they're loud, rambunctious, but january 6th was no protest. it wasn't even a riot. it would be cheapening the events that day to call it a partisan red-bluish -- it was an insurrection. its goal was to stop the steal, stop the peaceful transfer of power, a simple concept. so the memories on the floor

that day, that we could feel things changing as the speaker was up explaining procedures and what we were going to do that day. and some of the statements that will resonate for many in this room and movements were when the speaker was rushed off. okay, she's left that before. i was hoping it wasn't what it could or what it turned out to be. the capitol police as they came up and started speaking you'll recall that the capitol had been breached. tear gas was dispensed in the rotunda. furniture being stacked up against the doors. and then those words, "let's

move it." as many of us tried to make it off the floor, and if you were in the gallery, much tougher. but then one i'll never forget. "they're in the chamber." they're in the chamber. and each of these was a step of increasing tension. and right behind us, let's move it. and then we heard breaking glass and then that sound as many described that we found out later on it was a gunfire, terrible day -- which made things that happened that day so much more substantial. it was americans attacking americans. neighbor against neighbor, citizens against ourselves urged on from misinformation from a

powerful individual, misled citizens to violence. the peoples' house was defiled that day and something we will never forget. so if we have discussions december 7th, pearl harbor, 9/11, the trade center here in washington also, january 6th and what needs to happen there is the same thing that happened after those two previous events. we come together as one nation, as americans, and that, my friends, is an opportunity moving forward. but what we need now is accountability. our democracy depends on it. thank you. >> thank you, don norcross. and now i recognize my friend

madeleine dean from pennsylvania. >> thank you, madam spooker. thank you for ensuring the dignity and guaranteed recording of history this day. thank you to my colleagues, to the staff, to the custodians, to the police. thank you, madam librarian. thank you to our historians john and doris. and thank you and my sympathies to mr. and mrs. sicknick for your extraordinary sacrifice. i'm pleased to be with all of you today. i would not be anywhere else because as lisa said this is a day to remember, to reflect, and very importantly to recommit ourselves to our precious democracy. i don't know about you but i'm

emotional. i'm emotional because my memories are very similar to many of yours. i was three days into my second term in congress, excited to participate in the certification of an election knowing it was ministerial, not to be terribly eventful, but surely i was excited to be there. i, too, was up in the gallery. i wanted to observe as i was preparing my own arguments for the pennsylvania challenge to come, i wanted to observe the arguments of the early states that were challenged. and so i stood there shoulder to shoulder with dean philips hearing those challenges, mouthing the words shame, shame for these arguments. and then i remember trying to go back to my office to finish my arguments, and a very large police officer stopped me and said there's a bomb threat in canon. please go back to wherever you were. so i went back to the gallery and stood there again and heard

those series of commands from the floor from i didn't know who at the time, please sit down, please prepare to kneel or lie down, please get your gas masks out from under your seats. like so many of you, like rosa, i had no idea. and as we fumbled with the gas masks i headed to the rail, to the wall at the rail. i remember calling lucille over to me, standing and screaming get down, get down. and then the pounding on the doors, that haunting sound i would never forget. put on your gas mask, and out we went. up and over railings until we got to some safe place, and the

constant worrying of the gas masks. the lies that stormed the capitol one year ago these hours remain a threat to you and to me and to our children's future today. that's why i'm proud of our president for his powerful speech today. he quoted the bible, and i think, john, you did, too. he said we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free. i am a woman of faith. i do believe. you know, in my six decades on this planet i had no idea the precious nature of our democracy, no idea. justice william brennen once said the constitution will endure if we had the courage to defend it, the vision to interpret it and the fidelity to live by it.

you know, in the end with apologies to our librarian and to doris and john, the words that keep coming to me are from a president in a movie, michael douglas. forgive me, please, john. doris, you going to be all right? when in that beautiful speech he said america isn't easy. america is advanced citizenship. you got to want it badly. thank you all for wanting it badly because it will take everyone of us nationwide to eagerly, faithfully, thankfully participate in this historic course in advanced citizenship for ourselves and for our children. lucky me to pass this way with you. god bless you. thank you. >> thank you, madeleine dean.

next is my friend robin kelly from illinois. >> mr. and mrs. sicknick, it's honor to have you here and gracing us with your presence. thank you so much. thank you, madam speaker, for beak the legendary leader you are. and thank you for your leadership and the courage you gave me and others that day. i will never, ever forget that. colleagues when i walked into the capitol one year ago today i never imagined i would be on my hands and knees with staffers, colleagues, reporters and cameramen all hoping we got out safely. thank god we did. as someone who has worked so hard on gun violence prevention, i remember thinking to myself is this the way it's going to be? meaning, is this the end for me? thank you to the hundreds and hundreds of people who checked

on me that day. thank you to the capitol police and staffers who did their job to protect us and our democracy. there is still so many hurting mentally and physically as we've heard. i learned that day just how fragile democracy really is and that we have to work at it each and every day and not take it for granted. i also realize as a black woman some of this was about us and other people of color. it was about loss of power, fear of not being in control and the browning of america. our beloved colleague john lewis said that the moment is the most powerful nonviolent agent of change you have in a democratic society. you must use it because it is not guaranteed. you can lose it. my colleagues, our guests and all those listening, this a day in my life i will never forget. we must not forget those who

lost their lives. we must make sure that those who responsible are held accountable no matter who they are. we must make sure the right to vote is preserved, and we must do everything we can to protect our democracy. and last but not least i just want to say to the gallery group, thank you, love you and we go on. thank you. >> thank you, robin kelly. and next is my friend stacey plaskett from the u.s. virgin islands. >> thank you, jason, madam speaker, colleagues and members of the capitol hill family including mr. and mrs. sicknick, you're members of our family as

well. last year our country demonstrated to the world the best and the worst of our country, our democracy. in georgia grassroots organizations have worked for months to get people registered and to come out and vote saw the fruits of their efforts as americans of all walks of life, young and old, black and white, poor and rich voted and elected two new senators from georgia. showing that your vote can make a difference, can change history, can make representation matter. at the same time a president, a man and his cronies drunk with power and intent on keeping the spigot of that power open plotted and used the frustrations, ignorance, fear, anger, bigotry of many as a fire hose to push away the election results and destroy our

democracy. the efforts of that day january 6th were crushed by the brave men and women of the metropolitan and capitol police who defended this citadel of democracy, who put their lives as barriers to the hordes of hell unleashed by donald trump to stop the peaceful transfer of power. now, on that day i was in my office. and i had -- was putting on my jacket because i wanted to come to the floor and stand behind my law professor, jamie raskin, as he was speaking. i wanted to be there to stand next to him, behind him and show support. i was frustrated because as i was leaving my office my staff told me you can't leave the office, you have to stay exactly where you are. and i got so frustrated.

i was so angry knowing i could not be with you all. in the virgin islands they say i like to be in things. and i wanted to be with you all in things right there. and if you can believe i pounded my fist on the desk, can you believe that, that i couldn't be with you all. but god is good. madam speaker, god is good because a couple of months ago, maybe two months ago i was walking to the capitol and jamie raskin in his usual rambling way was talking to me about his book and wanted to show me the picture he was using of me in his book. and because, madam speaker, you had allowed me to stand next to him in the impeachment, the picture he had of me was me standing behind him with my hands crossed being there with him by his side. i got my ability to be in things

with you all. the good staff and workers in the capitol cleaned and prepared these hallowed halls to continue the work of certifying our election. they all demonstrated what is good and right about this country. and the men and women of congress, my colleagues, determined that they could not be stopped from upholding their oath and their constitutional duty to come back and certify the election. january 6th was and should be called democracy day. what of our democracy now? where are all the patriots who value their democracy? it's democracy over power. not only have my colleagues so frustrated with me perpetrated the lie because it's in their personal interest to do so, they have worked so hard to continue to thwart the organization and

push for the expansion of american democracy by hindering voting rights and make it harder for people to participate in this democracy. however, like the grassroots men and women who are working to hold the line, pushing for voting rights, to keep fair and safe elections, we all here are doing our part for the people on this democracy day. thank you all. >> so we've been listening to a number of the testimonials from house members describing their experience of that day one year ago. we also heard that the family of brian sicknick are also in attendance. one of the officers who lost their lives during the insurrection and in the aftermath. in remembering this day it's hard to take in, but we're also

trying to look forward to figure out what happens next. and there's been a lot of polling over the past few days telling us where we stand on our election system to whether or not using violence against the government is ever justified. and there's one abc news poll that came out recently that says just 20% of the american public across party lines is confident that our election system is a good one, confident in our election system. that's an extraordinarily small number. >> an old reporter friend of mine, matt cooper, used to do stand up and he used to say imagine beer companies used the same tactics and rhetoric -- the point was if you told people there was something wrong with miller lite eventually people

would not just stop drinking miller lite or bud lite, they'd stop drinking beer. so this is a real concern if you look at that number. what have we had over the last year? you get this big lie being pumped by info tainers, by certain cable channels. you also have the very real thing going on where we're seeing some republican legislatures change their rules how they're going to hold their elections. now you have people on the left going can i trust the results the michigan, can i trust the results in georgia? well, what does that tell you? all of a sudden a lot of people may stop drinking beer and a lot of people may stop trusting all elections. that's my greatest fear. what if donald trump wins fair and square next time? we are in -- it just feels like oh, my god -- >> nobody trusts the system. >> what if we get to the point

where nobody trusts the system? >> once you start going from state legislatures and firing secretaries of state and questioning the way votes are counted and then questioning whether electors can actually change a presidential election by the whim of a certain number of states and you start drilling down on the fact that the large states do not have the same representation as the small states who have, you know, two senators. and just a whole system does seem rigged if you looked at it, and if you take those certain number of states right now and put them in trump's count no matter about the vote was if you had a legislature that could and a governor that could change the electors that would go to washington, you would change the vote. >> why would the left believe in that and the right already is more than 70% believing this election was not decided? >> it's also a big question there are instances where

republicans in certain states take electors that are different from what the people want, goes to the supreme court. if you look at a strict view of the constitution that the supreme court might say, hey, listen, it's up to the states. and then where are we? >> this is why some democrats are a little suspicious -- and the fact the michigan legislature may take away the power of canvassers or the arizona legislature may usurp the authority of election officials in maricopa county. i don't know what could be done on a federal level on that front. states are the ones that run their elections, so you're not wrong there, and that's a case where the court could correctly be following the constitution and give us an undemocratic result. >> and especially because there is a declining confidence in this court in whether or not it is politicized because precedent

after 50 years doesn't seem to mean anything even to those who testified when they're being confirmed. >> in this fractured environment we're in, i know we have this conversation all the time. we were having it a moment ago with all the different outlets where you can find your information from legitimate news outlets to your friend on facebook. is it possible? is it possible to come to a consensus? is it possible any longer in this country to share a set of facts? and if it's not, is there anything that can be done about it? >> it is possible if people in elected leadership do their job and actually realize they're elected to represent people in a republic. this is not some rule and so it's up to the elected republicans if they want this because they're the ones that have seeded this. >> one of the things in the divisions in our society that really concerns me is our foreign adversaries and their

ability to exploit our social dysfunction and do what they did successfully in 2016 in terms of exacerbating known divisions, less successfully in 2018 because we were on guard for it. but with the way social media is and the big tech companies are resisting any kind of legislative solutions -- >> my favorite political scientist he rewrote something -- i sort of absorb a lot that he writes. he wrote about that is something we don't realize how fully lost this is, our ability not to be the protectors of democracy around the world is causing lots of problems. >> i wonder, though, are there actual plans being made overseas and in the western world if our democracy falters in 2024? are leaders of other countries saying if america falls what are we going to do?

>> i think what you're seeing already is them no longer having confidence in our democracy. and even when leaders go overseas they are increasingly concerned about the fragility of our democracy, and this is totally being exploited by president xi in china. because he's saying you see that model, that model he enjoyed when he traveled across the country as the vice premiere with vice president biden and went to iowa where he had studied agriculture and said i feel like i'm coming home, he now says you see, democracy fails. and that is why he feels empowered in hong kong already to crush the last remaining news outlet. >> macron is the one guy that's been sort of sounding that alarm in europe, that, hey, what if america is thought there? and he's like we've got to be able to stand up for ourselves a little bit. >> and france now seeing an opening with merkel gone to try

to become the king of europe. >> and boris being boris so -- >> the world is fracturing right now. and i wonder when we look at these poll numbers we also find a lot of people say it seems numbers we also find a lot of people that say that it seals like violence is going to be inevitable in 2024. that is a very scary thing to consider in this country. who knows what that looks like. >> ask african americans who voted in if '60s what it means to have violence at the polls. some of us in this country lived with violence longer than others of us. >> i was reading in the atlantic, an essay in the back. it is a book review. it is an irish man talking about the troubles, and growing up in it. at some point he said it became inevitable in conversation that violence was going to come. and that inevitability took hold and perpetuated the violence

actually coming. his warning to all of us was don't presume that it is coming no matter what. if you do, you take steps because of it and then we are on a lost path. >> and 3r50u78bly don't assume it can't happen here. >> also that. >> you are right, don't treat it as inevitable either. it is a fine line. >> it is a fine line. >> look, that is my biggest concern, is if those with noble reasons start to borrow the tools of what we have seen in order to fight back. and that's -- that's a death spiral. >> let's bring in hallie jackson. you have an important interview. >> we do. we have been listening to remembrances and you have taken us out of that from some of the lawmakers on the capitol during the insurrection a year ago. there are others still dealing with the fallout from that day, including capitol police officer harry dunn who is joining me now. thank you for being here on what

a know is a difficult day for you. >> i appreciate you having me on. >> can i start with your thoughts today as you are listening to remarks and reflections from problem, vice president harris and members of congress on what happened a year ago and where our democracy is one year later? >> frankly i am glad everybody is saying things that me and my fellow coworkers that have spoken out have been saying since we first started talking. >> yeah. >> we got ready -- i want some closure to this, it only happens when accountability is served and the full truth about what happened that day is laid out for the american people. >> can you talk about what it's like still being on duty at the capitol? you have many times officer doesn't -- i watched your interviews, read what you have written, talked about the importance of what went down on january 6th. what is it like still being on

duty protecting some of the members of congress who raised questions about what happened on january 6th. some of whom, as we talked about on today's air are not attending the commemorations today? >> i am still honored to be a capitol police officer. what i do is bigger than me, and bigger than my opinions. i protect a seat, not necessarily a person that seat represents democracy that seat represents millions, hundreds, thousands of people, not just one particular member. so it's way bigger than one person. it is bigger than me. i'm just happy to be a part of -- doing my part for democracy. that's what's important to me. >> you eloquently frame it as one seat for democracy. i wonder how you feel about our democracy a year after january 6th? >> i frame it like that because i have to adjust my narrative. it was -- i had to adjust my mindset. it was very difficult. everybody has public --

everybody has opinions. and i had to adjust that, refocus on what the actual mission is, what the purpose is. and that's what it's about. sorry, what was the last part of -- the other part of your question? >> that was it, sort of where you are and how you are thinking about the democratic process and where we are as a country a year after january 6th. >> that's it. democracy is very fragile. i know that sounds so cliche, everybody has been saying that lately. but everybody has a job to do to protect democracy. and you can't take it for granted. you know, it appears we were very close to losing it listening to some of the thoughts that people have had. we have a job to do. we can't take it for granted. we can't just assume that it's here and it's always going to be here. so we have to do our jobs. every single person has a job to do to uphold it. so --

>> you know, officer, i live in d.c., i cover washington, a know a lot of people who are still processing the trauma from what happened on january 6th. i wonder, as much as you are comfortable sharing, if you can talk a little bit about your journey over the last year, how you are healing, how you are processing, if you have gotten help, and what you have been doing. >> yeah. i love -- love, love, love going to therapy. i love talking about all my feelings, my emotions, taking control of them, and having me control them instead of having them control me, them -- my feelings. i like being in control of them. so being able to talk about and it finally get a good grasp of what i am feeling and not -- not being questioned about, in my mind about why do i feel this way, why do i feel this way, how am i going to feel about this? i kind of know how i am going to feel and i create my mindset. and i encourage people to go to therapy.

because it is very helpful it has been helpful for me. that doesn't mean that i am immune to sadness and trauma, anxiety, depression. i'm not immune to it at all. it exists. but you learn how to work through it. so that's one way i am working through it. and also, continuing to talk about it. my face has been all over -- >> yeah. >> -- every screen this whole week, this whole month, whatever. but it is therapeutic for me to be able to tell my story. and you know, do whatever i can do to help get accountability and justice and answers about what happened that day. >> you talk about the importance of wanting to be out there, wanting to tell your story. that has made you -- as you say, you have been a face of the capitol police, one of them, over the last 365 days. there has been some pushback from inside the kamm capitol police force. the "new york times" published an article about the police force. in it one officer made it sound

like it was all about race, according to the times. can you describe what it has been like for you on the police force since january 6th. >> without going too much into that. i block out detransactors. i don't get that energy. the men and women i work with are some of the bravest men and women and i am proud and honored to work with them. everybody sees my face, but i am just one person, one person, with one story. and there are so many stories out there. if they want to tell their story, i would be happy to listen and support them just like they have been supporting me. i am not going to focus on any detractors right now. i encourage anybody who has story about that day to speak up, no matter what it is. i would be happy to listen and support you. >> the chief in charge now was not in charge a year ago. we obtained a video that he sent to you and your fellow officers today. i am not going the play it but he said they are working together. he said, i can't ever remember

feeling this level of urgency in his 20 years of being a police chief to make sure that we get things right. do you feel -- do you see that continuing urgency? >> i am not going to talk much about what's going on internally with the capitol police. that's -- i'm not going to comment on it. i'm glad to be a member of it, and i'm honored to serve with them. and we'll always hope that -- like any time there is room for improvement, and any time you can take a step back and look and take an objective look with the intention of improving, i think that's always welcome and always warranted. but as far as like specifics, i won't get into any of that. >> is there anything that surprised you about this day as you have been watching the coverage, as you have been thinking about where you were on january 6th in the middle this insurrection, in the middle of this riot? has there been anything that sort of caught you unaware about your eun feelings or the way that you are perhaps processing this? >> not really. like i said it seems like an

anniversary for other people. but men and women who lived and it went through it don't really have closure for it, so it's not really -- like i said, the anniversary of january 6th will be the day that closure is had, accountability is served, and the full truth is known. so that's when my anniversary -- anniversary -- will be. you know? >> do you think people get it? do you think people across this country get what the threat is and how serious this is? >> nah. they get what they want. people can -- like i said, they watched -- the facts, the evidence is indissputible. the rioters themselves posted videos of them and what they were doing. and they were proud of it. and they thought that they were right. so i -- they thought they were right. and i don't understand how can somebody can look at that tape and frame it any other way than what it was that day. >> i have to let you go in moment. but is there anything -- i want to ends on this note.

is there anything, officer doesn't, that gives you hope about where we are going? >> good question. i haven't heard that one before. yeah. i'm encouraged that the committee is focused on finding out the truth and just the facts. facts are very important. don't let people's opinion -- people start giving their opinions, and people take that as gospel. but once the facts are indisputtable. and i just -- like every other american that has an interest in it i just want to know the facts of that day. there is so much stuff that we still don't know about that day. and i'm just patiently waiting for that -- those to be revealed. >> capitol police officer harry doesn't. officer, thank you for being with us today. i know it is a long one for you. i appreciate it. >> thank you, have a good day. >> that does it for us this hour. msnbc's special insurrection in america coverage begins right now.