INDems Statement On One-Year Anniversary of January 6 Insurrection

The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today issued the following statement by Chairman Mike Schmuhl to commemorate the first anniversary of the insurrection against the United States of America on January 6, 2021. One year ago today, radicalized supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. This domestic terrorist event followed a vote in which Indiana Republicans like Jim Baird, Jim Banks, Greg Pence, and Jackie Walorski all voted “YES” to overthrow American democracy: 

“Today marks a grim milestone for our country – one year since the insurrection in the U.S. Capitol by radicalized supporters of former President Donald Trump. Over this past year, Indiana Republicans have remained silent about the horrific events that happened that day, and their silence is deafening. Hoosiers should watch the videos themselves and make their own judgments about what happened that day. Here’s what I saw. People attacking police officers. Congressman Greg Pence voting to overturn the election results as a mob came to the building where he works to attempt to kill his brother. Our house of democracy – regardless of your political allegiance – being desecrated and destroyed. 

In the history of our country, an attack of this magnitude – and at that place – would be an attack on all of us. The insurrectionists would be pushed away, discredited, and disavowed by those in power. Our political parties would return to the work of helping Americans and their daily challenges. Tragically, the modern Republican Party has broken from tradition, with the sole reason being the appeasement of a former president. By pledging allegiance to him they get the whole bag: lies, misinformation, conspiracy theories, and political violence. As a result, this bad behavior and rhetoric becomes more common, more ‘accepted’, and harder to reverse. 

On this day, it might help to recite a verse from the Gospel of John that says, ‘And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ Our Party’s hope today is that in seeking truth, the insurrectionists are brought to justice, complicit Republicans are held to account, and America can begin a healing process on the values that bind us together instead of the issues that tear us apart.” –  Mike Schmuhl, Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party