Remembering Jan. 6

Arguably, the country is a more precarious place now than when a violent mob assaulted the people’s House. One of the two dominant political parties in our country—today’s GOP—has become increasingly indistinguishable from far-right fringe groups. That was glaringly visible on Thursday when Republicans remembered Jan. 6 by holding vigils for a violent mob they’re trying to recast as martyrs.

A year after the insurrection, Republicans are deeply entrenched in the idea that their only way back to power is pretending Jan. 6 never happened. That’s why Daily Kos worked on mobilizing candlelight vigils of grassroots supporters throughout the country and across race, place, party, and background in a day of remembrance.

Join us in holding insurrectionists accountable with these actions:

No president should be above the law 

A year after a violent mob forced its way into our Capitol, glaring questions still remain: Is the Justice Department being too chill about prosecuting insurrectionists? Remember those pipe bombs outside the DNC and RNC? As far as what exactly happened that day, and who was responsible, that’s one question the Jan. 6 Committee is trying to find out.  

Mounting evidence suggests several elected Republicans helped plan, promote, and excuse the events of the insurrection. But as the committee continues its efforts to understand the attack and prevent it from ever happening again, it’s being stonewalled by Donald Trump’s allies, who refuse congressional subpoenas by claiming executive privilege.  

Abuse of executive privilege is nothing new. In 1792, George Washington refused to supply Congress with documents related to a military campaign against Native Americans. In 1804, Thomas Jefferson refused to comply with a subpoena to testify at the trial of former Vice President Aaron Burr. This pattern has repeated throughout history, no matter what party was in charge, because nothing in our laws or the Constitution addresses executive authority to withhold information from legislatures, the courts, or the public.

As we remember the insurrection, it’s important for our lawmakers to implement policies that will prevent the next one. That’s why California Rep. Adam Schiff has introduced the Protecting Our Democracy Act (PODA). This bill would root out corruption, rein in presidential abuses of power, and strengthen our system of checks and balances.

With your support, Daily Kos’ extensive campaigning to pass PODA through grassroots activism helped the bill pass the House of Representatives in December. We now continue our work to ensure it also passes the Senate and lands on President Joe Biden’s desk.

Help us stop the nest insurrection by taking these actions:

The Senate MUST deliver on voting rights

Both President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have expressed that voting rights are their current priority. Whether it’s shrewd political maneuvering or not, Sen. Schumer has announced another self-imposed deadline of Jan. 17—the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday—to act on saving democracy. And we are here to hold him accountable.

Daily Kos is continuing our work both on the Freedom to Vote Act (FTCA) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA). We’ve organized multiple letter-writing campaigns and phone banks, which have generated tens of thousands of constituent letters and phone calls. We’re also maintaining pressure on West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, to ensure they deliver the voting rights reforms their constituents, as well as voters all across the country, want.

If you want to show your support for protecting our voting freedoms, here are some actions you can take:

The Daily Kos Activism team is thankful to all of you, our grassroots supporters, for organizing, mobilizing, and sending phone calls, texts, and letters as we fight for the issues that matter most. Let’s continue the fight into 2022 and beyond so we can create a better future for us all—together.

And don’t forget to leave us feedback below on what actions you’d like to see the Activism team work on next.