WATCH: Rep. Thompson gives opening statement, calls for 'stiff consequences' for those behind Jan. 6

Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., gave an opening statement on July 21 as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack presented its findings to the public. The hearing focused on what President Donald Trump was doing during the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks on the Capitol in an effort to interrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory.

He spoke remotely as he had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

“Our democracy withstood the attack on Jan. 6,” Thompson said. “If there is no accountability for Jan. 6 for every part of this scheme, I fear that we will not overcome the ongoing threat to our democracy. There must be stiff consequences for those responsible.”

In the year since its creation, the committee has conducted more than 1,000 interviews, seeking critical information and documents from people witness to, or involved in, the violence that day.


Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG
Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6

Follow us:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pbsnews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour
Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour

Subscribe:
PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts
Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe