In an emotional moment among emotional moments, lead House Impeachment Manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) shared the story of a Black Capitol police officer and the racist abuse he endured when a mob with murder on its mind sacked the seat of government last month.
“I sat down with one of my buddies, another Black guy, and tears just started streaming down my face,” the officer said, according to BuzzFeed News, which first reported it. “I said, ‘What the f**k, man? Is this America? What the f**k just happened? I’m so sick and tired of this s**t.’”
Is this America? Are we a country that normalizes political violence, that abandons its sacred traditions of representative democracy and gives into the lies and fabrications of a narcissistic, would-be strongman?
Do we turn our back on the heroic sacrifices of U.S. Capitol police officers that were literally the last line of defense between members of Congress and a mob that had marched on the Capitol, with ideas of hanging former Vice President Mike Pence, murdering U.S. House Speaker Nancy Peolsi?
As much as this is an exercise in holding Trump accountable for the months he spent laying the groundwork that led to the deadly Capitol riot, it is also a vote on who we are as a people and the choices we’re making about our future as a nation.
Some Republicans, still in thrall to Trump, have already shown their hand. Even with Mitch McConnell apparently on the fence, it’s unlikely that there are the 17 GOP votes needed for a conviction.
That apparently includes Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who, after viewing newly released and gut-wrenching video of the siege, told reporters that the trial was a “complete waste of time.”
“Look, I’ve been clear that I wish the president had said something faster when they broke into it, but, you know, I’ve watched what he said. He’s never said when somebody should break in - [he] actually said that people should do this peacefully,” Scott said, seizing on the one qualifier that Republicans have used to give Trump a free pass on months of gaslighting and direct and baseless attacks on the foundations of our democracy.
“This is a complete waste of time,” Scott continued. “It’s not doing anything to help American families, it’s not helping people get jobs, it’s not helping get the vaccine out... it’s vindictive.”
It’s not a waste of time, Sen. Scott. It’s about making sure the sacrifices of Capitol Police officers that day were not in vain. It’s about honoring the oath that you and your colleagues swore to uphold and defend the Constitution, and not the “weird worship of one dude,” as fellow Republican Sen. Ben Sasse so strikingly said.
When you get right down to it, the racist white nationalists, QAnon dupes, and pro-Trump extremists who ransacked one of the most potent symbols of our republic committed their atrocious acts because of a lie: That the election was stolen.
Claims of widespread election fraud were laughed out of court. There is no evidence to support it. And Joe Biden, whether you agree with him or not, is the legitimately elected president of the United States of America.
And Capitol Police officers, honoring their oaths, ran into the face of danger. Video shows the deadly toll of that day, officers were maimed, crushed against doors and stabbed with a flagpole. One officer, Brian Sicknick, gave the full measure of devotion that day and died. Two more officers, one from the Capitol police, another from the Washington D.C. Metro force, later died by suicide. Another officer, Eugene Goodman, heroically lured rioters away from the Senate chamber.
During her turn at the lectern as a House manager, Pennsylvania Rep. Madeleine Dean said she planned to outline the “actions of a desperate president,” who would stop at nothing, not even an attack on the Capitol that he allowed to burn for hours, to save his own skin.
“Senators, ours is a dialogue with history,” Dean said, in part, as she concluded her remarks
“Is this America?” the Black Capitol police officer asked.
How that question is answered in the coming days is how history will judge us all.
An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek is Editor-in-Chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. Email him at jmicek@penncapital-star.comand follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek.
