Chicago, IL - On the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 Insurrection, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement.
"One year ago, a vicious attack on American democracy left five police officers dead and scores of others severely injured. A violent mob of Trump supporters, fueled by the Big Lie and Trump's allies, stormed the United States Capitol in an attempt to sabotage the transition of power——a transition that for centuries had been peaceful. Even after these insurrectionists were removed, most Republican lawmakers voted to thwart the will of the majority of voters.
As Americans, we have a sacred responsibility to stand up for democracy and hold accountable those who incited and carried out this attempted coup. We must not allow the Republican Party to rewrite history and sweep the events of January 6 under the rug. The preservation of democracy is not a guarantee, and our 245-year-old experiment in self-governance depends upon our ability to restore respect for our institutions and protect the will of the people as expressed by their votes.
Anyone seeking public office today should be able to forcefully denounce the actions of those who attacked the Capitol and, in no uncertain terms, proclaim that Joe Biden was the legitimate winner of the 2020 Presidential election, and that they will accept as legitimate the results of the 2022 midterm elections when all the votes are counted. Responding affirmatively to these questions must be a prerequisite for holding public office. Failing to do so puts the future of our great nation in grave jeopardy.
MK and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the Capitol Police Officers who lost their lives while defending our democracy on January 6. I promise to do everything in my power to ensure their sacrifices were not in vain."