President Joe Biden speaks from U.S. Capitol
President Joe Biden on Thursday accused his predecessor Donald Trump of spreading a “web of lies” to undermine U.S. democracy in a speech on the anniversary of the deadly Capitol attack by Trump supporters who tried to undo his 2020 election defeat.
Reuters report that Biden, speaking at the Capitol, said Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud could unravel the rule of law and subvert future elections.
Biden never actually uttered his predecessor’s name during the 25-minute speech, telling reporters afterward he was trying to focus on the threats to America’s political system instead of Trump himself.
Trump’s behavior over the past year, like his conduct in office, has been norm-shattering. Unlike other former U.S. presidents denied re-election, Trump has refused to accept the verdict of the voters and pressured fellow Republicans to somehow overturn the results, without success.
His false claims have provided cover for Republicans at the state level to pass new restrictions on voting that they have said are needed to fight fraud. Research shows such fraud is extremely rare in U.S. elections.
Biden’s fellow Democrats, a few Republicans and many independent experts have said Trump’s continued denials could make it less likely that future U.S. transfers of power will be peaceful – especially those involving closer margins than the 2020 election that Biden won by 7 million votes nationwide.
Congressman Tom Reed speaks about anniversary of January 6, 2021 attacks on U.S. Capitol
Republican Congressman Tom Reed said the insurrection of January 6, 2021 is a day that can never be forgotten and was one of his most terrible days during his tenure.
Reed said to see people storming the Capitol was deplorable, “And it is something I strongly condemn. I think full accountability has to occur to each and every one of the individuals that crossed that line and engaged in that violent type of behavior. And we move forward.”
Four people died in the hours-long chaos after Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” One police officer died on that day after battling rioters and four later died by suicide. Around 140 police officers were injured. U.S. prosecutors have brought criminal charges against at least 725 people linked to the riot.
Reed said the country is deeply divided and that he had hoped that last January 6 would have been used as a moment to say “enough is enough,” “And that we would have leadership emerge out of Washington D.C. that would join me and others to say, ‘Now is the time for us to be proud Republicans, proud Democrats,’ and that was the sum and substance of my speech on the floor on January 6. Where we can still disagree as American citizens over Republican or Democratic ideology, but we can never, ever resort to violence or physical disagreement between each other.”
Reed said it’s time for the silent majority voice to awaken and stand up to extremists.
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