Nancy Pelosi says 'democracy won' on January 6

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was among the members of Congress who were being targeted by the pro-Trump mob curing the Capitol insurrection. As this week marks one year since the riots, Pelosi says democracy prevailed on January 6.

In an interview with the Associated Press the day before the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection, Pelosi reflected on the events of the day, warning that the country’s democracy was hanging on the balance on January 6. Pelosi said that democracy prevailed despite the attempt of the mob to derail Congress in certifying Joe Biden’s election victory against Donald Trump.

“Democracy won that night,” said the California Democrat. “These people, because of the courageous work of the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police and others, they were deterred in their action to stop the peaceful transfer of power. They lost.”

Pelosi also said that no one could have expected a sitting US president calling for an insurrection but that there is a lesson to be learned regarding what a president is capable of doing. Republicans are mostly expected to skip the memorial events as they seek to downplay the insurrection while blaming Democrats. Many Republicans in Congress have also embraced the false claim of election fraud as they voted to object to the results.

When pressed on what she wanted to say to those who participated in the insurrection, Pelosi said that they were lied to by Trump. Over 60 lawsuits contesting the election results have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, as he repeatedly claimed to this day.

“They may have thought that was right,” said Pelosi. “But they were lied to by the President of the United States.”

On the day itself, Pelosi led a moment of silence on the House floor, with over a dozen House Democrats and Republican Rep. Liz Cheney in attendance. Pelosi saluted the staff who were present on January 6, especially those who brought the boxes containing the electoral votes away from the pro-Trump mob and the police officers who defended the Capitol.

“That day and the days after, they were the defenders of our democracy. And their courage and patriotism remain an inspiration,” said the House Speaker.