The Capitol insurrection, one year later

One year later, many Democrats and Republicans have very different views on Trump supporters' attempts to overturn the 2020 elections; Russian-led troops head to a Kazakhstan in chaos.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Ellen Ioanes.

A year after January 6, two different realities

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

• On the one-year anniversary of the violent attacks on the US Capitol by insurrectionists claiming Donald Trump won the 2020 election, reactions from Democratic and Republican leaders made clear the separate realities that Americans believe about that day. While Democratic legislators have events planned to commemorate the day, Republicans are largely downplaying the event. [Washington Post / John Wagner, Amy B Wang, Mariana Alfaro, Eugene Scott, and Felicia Sonmez]
• President Joe Biden spoke about the violence Thursday morning, placing the blame for the mob attack unequivocally on Trump and his supporters and enablers. “The former president of the United States of America has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election,” Biden said, “because he values power over principle.” [New York Times / Peter Baker]
• Trump canceled a news conference he had planned to hold in Florida on the one-year anniversary, but still lashed out at Biden, saying in a statement that Biden “is destroying our Nation” and “used [Trump’s] name to try to further divide America.” The defeated former president continued to falsely claim that the 2020 election was rigged and “is leading to our Country destruction.” [Business Insider / Sonam Sheth]
• Trump and his allies face an ongoing investigation into the events leading up to the capital insurrection; many of Trump’s allies and former staffers have been subpoenaed or held in contempt of Congress by the congressional committee carrying out the probe. Attorney General Merrick Garland reaffirmed the Justice Department’s commitment to the investigation in a speech Wednesday, saying that the investigation would follow the facts and that, “those involved must be held accountable, and there is no higher priority for us at the Department of Justice.” [CNN / Tierney Sneed]
• GOP leaders, however, haven't said much about last year’s violent insurrection, and activists have planned events around the country for insurrectionists in custody, who they’ve deemed “patriots” and “political prisoners.” [Politico / David Siders]
• Democrats have several planned solemn events, including a prayer vigil and testimonies from those trapped at the capitol building to commemorate the day. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have declined to attend the events. [ABC / Libby Cathey]
• Five people died in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, and about 140 police officers were injured. More than 725 people have been arrested in connection with the riots, and about 70 people have been sentenced for their roles in the insurrection. [Department of Justice]

Russia-led alliance sends troops to Kazakhstan

• A Russian-led military alliance sent troops to Kazakhstan Thursday in an effort to quell uprisings that had spread to major cities and forced the dissolution of the presidential cabinet. The Central Asian nation is just the latest former Soviet state where the Kremlin has asserted its influence by using military force. [Reuters / Olzhas Auyezov]
• Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, requested military back-up after a particularly violent day in which protesters set fire to the presidential palace and other government buildings. About 2,500 military personnel with the Collective Security Treaty Organization entered the country; troops have been fighting protesters in the main city of Almaty and have regained control of the airport there. [New York Times / Ivan Nechepurenko, Valerie Hopkins, and Andrew E. Kramer]
• Dozens of people, including 18 members of the security forces, have been killed according to Russian state media, and as many as many as 2,000 protesters detained. Tokayev has called the uprising, which started over an increase in fuel prices, a terrorist revolt and has blamed unnamed foreign influence for the unrest. [Wall Street Journal / Ann M. Simmons and James Marson]
• But protesters say they’re sick of the corruption the ruling class has inflicted on the country, as well as the lack of opportunities for ordinary people. Protesters are calling for major political reforms, as well as free and fair elections — which international observers say Kazakhstan has never had. [Guardian / Shaun Walker and Naubet Bisenov]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 booster shot for everyone ages 12 and older who received a first shot of the vaccine. [NYT / Roni Caryn Rabin]

• Chicago public schools remain closed for a second day, as the Chicago Teachers Union and school district officials failed to reach an agreement on the union’s demand for stricter Covid-19 protocols. [Chicago Tribune / Tracy Swartz and Gregory Pratt]
• An unknown donor paid a ransom to the Haitian gang that captured a group of Christian missionaries, leading to the release of three of the missionaries on December 5. [AP / Peter Smith]
• Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to arrest citizens not vaccinated against Covid-19 if they violate a stay-at-home order. [South China Morning Post]

“Those who stormed this Capitol and those who instigated and incited and those who called on them to do so held a dagger at the throat of America and American democracy.”

[President Joe Biden in a speech commemorating the one-year anniversary of the insurrection at the US Capitol building attempting to overturn the 2020 election]

Jamie Raskin lost his son. He didn’t want to lose American democracy too.  [Spotify]

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