By Emi Moss

Staff Writer

    January 6th, 2026, will mark five years since insurrectionists broke into the US Capitol and rioted against the certification of votes that would make Joe Biden the 46th President of the United States. Recently, President Trump has granted clemency to all individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the insurrection on January 6, 2021. It is important to know about the events of this day, so that it never happens again.

The Big Lie:

    The Big Lie refers to the false claims made by Donald Trump and allies that the 2020 election was stolen and the results were fraudulent. The term “big lie” actually comes from Adolf Hitler when he accused Jews of spreading lies about the Germans. Leading up to the 2020 election, Trump began to claim that voting would be rigged against him. After losing the election, Trump blamed mechanical glitches, democrats altering votes, and more. 

What Should Have Happened in the Capitol: 

    Election certification is when both houses of Congress ensure that every ballot is counted. Election certification doesn’t occur until the results have already been repeatedly verified during the canvassing process. It is purely a formality because ballots have already been certified at the state and local level. 

What Happened On January 6th, 2020:

    At 12:00 pm, President Trump rallied supporters in Washington, D.C. and directed them towards the Capitol. His call to action, “And we fight. We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” was replayed on C-SPAN and other news outlets. Simultaneously, a crowd began to form at the Capitol. Then, at 2:00 pm, insurrectionists broke into the Capitol and entered it for the first time that day. The certification was called into immediate recess at this time. Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and other lawmakers were evacuated from the Capitol. At 2:30 pm, the House was called back into session, but minutes later, it was called into recess yet again because the mob was threatening to break into the House chamber. 

    Insurrectionist Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed as she forced her way into the Senate chamber. At 4:00 pm, President Trump finally told the mob to go home in a tweet. At 5:30 pm, the tide began to shift as the National Guard finally arrived after 4 hours of rioting. After the Capitol was secured, the Senate reconvened at 8:00 pm. The election results were officially certified at 3:40 am. 

A Day of Love: Death, Damages, and Do-overs:

    The Architect of the Capitol, J. Brett Blanton, reported to the House Appropriations Committee that the attack on the U.S. Capitol caused an estimated $30 million in damages. As reported on the Police Executive Research Forum, 140 law enforcement officers were injured. Ashli Babbitt was the only person killed at the scene. In the months that followed, four officers from the United States Capitol Police died by suicide. On his first day back in office, Donald Trump granted a “full, complete and unconditional pardon” to roughly 1,500 individuals convicted for the January 6th crimes and related offenses, while commuting the sentences of the remaining 14, effectively wiping out almost all legal consequences for those involved.

The Role of the Vice President in the Certification Process:

    The Vice President’s role in the electoral vote count is purely ministerial and largely ceremonial. As President of the Senate, the Vice President presides over the joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes but has no particular power to accept, reject, or otherwise determine disputes over the results. 

“Hang Mike Pence”:

    During the riot, the mob chanted “Hang Mike Pence,” after Donald Trump publicly pressured his own Vice President to overturn the election results. Even as Pence was being evacuated for his safety, Trump continued attacking him on social media. 

Impeachment of President Trump: 

    Articles of Impeachment were filed in the House of Representatives against Trump for inciting an insurrection. After the case moved to the Senate, it did not receive the three-fourths majority (67 votes) needed for him to be convicted. 

    We came very close to a successful insurrection. Going forward, we must make sure we follow the rule of law and allow the peaceful transfer of power under our democratic system. We pride ourselves on being a developed country that follows the rule of law. We must remember that this occurred on the streets of our own Capital as well as inside our Capitol and not in a distant third-world 

country.