On the second anniversary of the January 6 Capitol insurrection, DNC spokesperson Ammar Moussa released the following statement:

“Republicans’ continued embrace of election deniers in the years after the January 6 attack is not only a slap in the face to the brave U.S. Capitol police officers who protected them that day, but also to members of law enforcement across the country. It’s clear that Donald Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ still has a complete stranglehold on today’s MAGA Republican Party.”

Here’s a reminder of just how far Republicans have gone to embrace election deniers and insurrectionists following the horrific events of January 6:

Setting the tone for the messy GOP primary to come, January 6 insurrectionists were physically present at Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign launch event in November.

POLITICO: “When Donald Trump plunged into the 2024 presidential race last week at his Mar-a-Lago club, he was surrounded by sidekicks, superfans and self-described sycophants.

Among them was another subset of Trump world figures who look poised to help form the coalition behind his third presidential bid: those sympathetic to or even a part of the riot on the Capitol on January 6.”

Almost immediately after the violent insurrection, House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy walked back his condemnation of Trump for inciting a violent mob to storm the Capitol — then went to go snap a photo with the disgraced former president at his Mar-a-Lago residence.

The Nation: “Kevin McCarthy Humiliates Himself Again. Covering up Trump’s role in the January 6 violence, he’s now vying to be speaker of the Insurrection.”

Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis went a step further in saying that January 6 wasn’t an insurrection — and even trafficked in conspiracy theories that the FBI was involved in the attack.

Tampa Bay Times: “On Jan. 6 anniversary, DeSantis disputes that Capitol attack was an ‘insurrection’”

Tampa Bay Times: “DeSantis sowed doubt about who was responsible for the riot, saying that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has not answered questions about why at least one rioter was removed from the most wanted list. PolitiFact has found no evidence that the FBI incited the attack.”

DeSantis is just one of MANY prominent Republicans who campaigned for Kari Lake, the extreme, election-denying GOP nominee for Arizona governor — including Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz. 

Meanwhile, Nikki Haley said she only campaigned with people who acknowledged the 2020 election result and yet literally stumped for Don Bolduc — a known election denier who said that “Trump won the election, and damn it, I stand by my oath.”

Associated Press: “During a debate in August, Bolduc was clear: ‘I signed a letter with 120 other generals and admirals, saying that Trump won the election, and damn it, I stand by my oath.’”

Not to be outdone, New Hampshire GOP Governor Chris Sununu bearhugged the election-denying Bolduc at the New Hampshire Republican Party’s “unity breakfast.” 

Paul Steinhauser, Fox News: “JUST NOW: @FoxNews covers a display of unity at the @NHGOP Breakfast — as #GOP Senate nominee ⁦@GenDonBolduc⁩ walks over and hugs @GovChrisSununu⁩ — after some tough talk in the primaries.”

And Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s former right-hand man, spent almost the entirety of the 2022 midterm cycle stumping for election-denying MAGA extremists like Blake Masters.

Washington Post: “Last week, Pence appeared in Phoenix to endorse Senate candidate Blake Masters of Arizona.

From whitewashing January 6 to literally bearhugging election deniers, today’s Republican leaders have made clear that they will cave in to the most extreme MAGA elements of their party in their shameless quest for power.

The post Two Years After January 6 Attack, Republicans Still Bearhugging Election Deniers appeared first on Democrats.