"A year ago, a violent mob attempted a coup in the very seat of American democracy. Egged on by the former president and enabled by congressional representatives who valued the idea of authoritarian rule devoid of objective truth more than our democracy, they breached our Capitol and came closer to succeeding than many initially realized or are willing to contend with. What has always separated and saved this country from falling to the worst kinds of authoritarian horrors we have seen elsewhere in history has been the peaceful transfer of power. Last year, that transfer saw its most imminent, serious threat and today, a major political movement no longer respects that safeguard.
"We owe a debt of gratitude to the officers who defended the Capitol, the journalists who told the story of the day at great personal risk, the public servants who persevered through the attack and the days and weeks that followed. The traumatic scars on those present, and on our nation, still stand as a reminder of the threats each faced. The families who lost loved ones as a result of this attack still grieve.
"Yet in the year since, many of the same figures who spread the Big Lie and gave rise and credibility to the insurrection have attempted to dismiss and downplay it. They have attempted to obscure the truth, obstruct any investigations aimed at protecting our democracy, and actively worked to undermine that now fragile democracy. Across the country, politicians are assaulting our democratic values by passing laws to strip away voting rights from their opponents, abetting white supremacy, and fueling conspiracy that foments extremism.
"On this anniversary, we are called to reject revisionist histories of the insurrection and its roots, and to use the tools we have to stand up for the democratic values that the insurrectionists and their allies continue to threaten."