A Nation Under Attack: The Effects of the Capitol Riots

Joshua Hirschfeld

01/29/2021

On January 6, 2021, the world witnessed something that had not occurred in over 200 years: the storming of the U.S. Capitol. Though instead of by a foreign power, it was taken over by American citizens. Driven by claims of voter fraud promoted by former President Donald Trump, a large group of rioters pushed past barricades and police officers, smashing windows and breaking open doors to enter the Capitol, in an attempt to halt the counting of electoral votes to officially make Joe Biden the 46th President of the United States. Congress was sent into a frenzy as rioters approached the chambers, causing Congressional members to find safety wherever possible, which for some meant the floor of the House of Representatives. 

Even before the rioters entered the Capitol, the vote counting process was already being stalled by a small coalition of Republican Congress members, led by Sens. Josh Hawley (MO) and Ted Cruz (TX), who objected to the electoral votes being certified until a committee was established to investigate the claims of voter fraud. Originally, most Republicans in Congress supported these accusations, but the trauma of the Capitol riots caused many to reconsider.

Despite the siege of the Capitol taking place for exactly six hours, the effects of the event are still being felt weeks afterward. Five people died as a result of the break-in, including a Capitol Police officer and a female rioter who was shot as she attempted to enter the Speakers Hall. At the time of this article’s publishing, over 100 individuals have been arrested in connection to the riot, with most being charged with unlawful entry, curfew violations, and firearms-related crimes, according to the New York Times. The most notable among them is a West Virginia State Legislator, who has since resigned. 

Both Apple and Google have banned the social media app Parler from their respective app stores. The app’s lax speech restrictions made it a preferred platform for ultra right-wing conservatives, including many who participated in the attack on the Capitol and were planning further attacks. Many large corporations have halted campaign donations to Congressional members who did not vote in support of certifying the Electoral College results, with some companies halting campaign contributions entirely. Facebook and Twitter have banned President Trump from their platforms, citing his encouragement towards the protesters, and his potential to cause further unrest through  their platforms. 

Three of President Trump’s Cabinet secretaries have resigned in response to his role in the break-in, and a growing number of Democrats and Republicans have been calling for his resignation or removal. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) have attempted to have Vice President Mike Pence invoke the 25th Amendment, which gives him and the Cabinet the power to execute the duties of the President if they feel the President is unable to do so. House Democrats also introduced an Article of Impeachment against President Trump on January 11^th, in addition to a bill introduced by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), one of the authors of the Article, calling on Vice President Pence to invoke the 25h Amendment. Vice President Pence has responded to the bill in a letter to House Speaker Pelosi, stating he will not invoke the 25th Amendment, as he believes this use is unconstitutional and would further divide the nation.  As a result, the House voted to impeach President Trump on January 13^th, making him the first President to be impeached twice while in office. Senate Majority Leader Schumer announced on January 22^nd that the House will formally submit the Article of Impeachment to the Senate on January 25^th, setting for a trial to begin the week of February 8^th. It still remains to be seen what the lasting legacy of all this will be, both for Donald Trump and our nation.