Blumenthal Speaks on the Senate Floor to Condemn Violence at the U.S. Capitol

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spoke on the Senate Floor tonight as Congress reconvened following a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol complex:

“Today was, indeed, disgusting and sickening. It was shocking and despicable. It was heartbreaking – but it was not surprising. In fact, today's assault on our democracy, the mob violence, the riots, the thugs and goons who were inspired and incited by the President of the United States, all were of a piece with these past four years of a president who has no respect for the truth or the rule of law,” Blumenthal said.

“The fantasies and falsehoods that drove those rioters – not protesters – the mob who assaulted the temple of democracy, were fueled by the president's misstatements and lies and contempt for the truth. And he was enabled. He had enablers. So today we are stopping in one instance that enabling. But we must also make sure to stop it going forward.”

Blumenthal’s full remarks, as delivered, are available below.

Today was a stomach-turning, gut-wrenching moment in our history. Truly, it was an assault on the heart of our democracy. I want to join in thanking the first-responders and police, but I also want to thank others who have been heroes of our democracy – unsung in many instances.

First all of the election officials, all the poll workers, all of the members of Boards of Election who actually counted the votes, who went to the polls and made sure that votes could be cast, and who ultimately stood firm for the integrity of that voting system.

I want to thank the judges, there are now about ninety of them who, except for one or two who ruled the other way on a technicality, have stood firm for the integrity of that voting system. In those sixty to seventy cases, except for that one ruled on a technicality, they went with the integrity of our voting system and the rule of law.

Today was, indeed, disgusting and sickening. It was shocking and despicable. It was heartbreaking – but it was not surprising.

In fact, today's assault on our democracy, the mob violence, the riots, the thugs and goons who were inspired and incited by the President of the United States, all were of a piece with these past four years of a president who has no respect for the truth or the rule of law.

Donald Trump's presidency is coming to a close in the very same way it began: with an attack on our democracy.

In 2016, the Trump campaign welcomed hostile, foreign interference with our election, and the president refused to acknowledge that he would accept the results of the election if he lost.

And then again and again and again he demonstrated his contempt for the rule of law and for the laws themselves. He obstructed justice, and he would have been charged with it had he not been the President of the United States. He invited a foreign government to interfere in our elections and find “dirt” on his political opponent.

And most disturbingly, these actions by a president who demonstrated that contempt for the rule of law were met with silence from many political leaders – our colleagues here in the Senate among them – silence in the face of that contempt for the rule of law and disrespect for the law enforcers.

So, we could have seen today coming. In fact, we did. I warned about it, and others did, because the fantasies and falsehoods that drove those rioters – not protesters – the mob who assaulted the temple of democracy, were fueled by the president's misstatements and lies and contempt for the truth. And he was enabled. He had enablers.

So today we are stopping in one instance that enabling. But we must also make sure to stop it going forward. And the political stunt that brought us here today offers no great solace that it will.

These stunts have consequences. We say words have consequences and the actions today will have significant consequences. They are an attack on our democracy that undermines the core tenets of our American government, and a disrespect for the will of the people and a peaceful transition of power. The political stunts themselves driven by opportunism blaze a path that can be followed by more competent challenges, just as the dictatorial instincts and actions of this president can be followed by more effective and would-be tyrants intent on destroying our republic.

Yes, we have more important tasks that we should be addressing as well – the pandemic, the economic revival – but today we must be mindful of the threat to our democracy that we face down. We come together on a bipartisan basis, but silence is never excusable in the face of lawlessness at the very top of our political structure.

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