WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Friday marks two years since the attack on the U.S. Capitol as law enforcement officers, veterans and lawmakers in Washington call for more accountability and security.
On the eve of the second anniversary of the attack, former D.C. police officer Michael Fanone is calling for change.
“Two years since the day I almost died defending the Capitol,” Fanone recalled. “The worst part is that our elected leaders allowed this to happen.”
He called for specific members of Congress to condemn political violence.
“Representative Matt Gaetz, who encouraged voters to arm themselves at the polls or newly sworn in, or soon to be sworn in, Representative Derrick Van Orden who breached police barricades with the insurrectionist mob,” Fanone said.
Congress recently passed a bill to make it harder to overturn election results and many other Republicans on Capitol Hill already condemn the attack.
“Yes, there’s blame to go around there and, again, I think it’s reflecting on those issues and what incited that,” Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) said.
Indiana Republican Larry Bucshon says one lesson learned is that rhetoric matters.
“It’s a dark day in American history, that we don’t want to repeat,” Bucshon said. “I think it’s unfortunate, I think there shouldn’t have been a rally on the National Mall that day.”
Meanwhile, Colorado Democrat Jason Crow says political violence doesn’t have a simple solution.
“While Donald Trump bears the majority of the responsibility, it wasn’t him alone that led us there. It’s years of division and disinformation and misinformation…and lies,” Crow said.
Lawmakers say a lot remains to be done to fight those problems.
