WASHINGTON – The Not Above the Law coalition hosted a press call today with Senator Adam Schiff, democracy advocates and legal experts to mark the fifth anniversary of the January 6 insurrection and address the escalating threats to American democracy.
Speakers on the call highlighted the alarming trajectory from the January 6 attack to today’s threats, including more than 300 documented cases of political violence, the Day One pardoning of rioters, the systematic removal of democratic guardrails, and the evolution of election subversion tactics. The call emphasized that as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, democracy faces a critical pivot point where authoritarian attacks haven’t ended – they’ve deepened.
The coalition released accompanying fact sheets documenting the surge in political violence and democratic backsliding since January 6, as well as the re-arrests of pardoned rioters for serious new crimes including murder conspiracies, child abuse, and violent assaults.
Lisa Gilbert, Co-President of Public Citizen and Co-Chair of the Not Above the Law Coalition, stated: “There are at least 300 cases of political violence across the United States between the insurrection and the 2024 election. Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 convicted January 6th rioters and appointed people who praised or downplayed the attack to positions of power. The message has been crystal clear: Political violence is just fine, and those who commit it won’t face any consequences. Instead, they’ll be rewarded.”
Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) reflected on his experience during the attack: “I was first elected in 2000, so in my first term, I experienced 9/11. That tragedy unified us. I remember singing God Bless America in a bipartisan chorus on the Capitol steps. And I remember thinking on January 6th that this would not be the same kind of unifying moment. But I never could have imagined we’d be where we are today – with the president who incited that insurrection back in office. His first act was to pardon hundreds of violent offenders. Some who participated in that insurrection now fill the halls of the administration, the Justice Department, and other high agencies. I never would have imagined this possible. But then, so much of what we’ve seen in the five years since January 6th would have been unthinkable, and yet here we are. We have our work cut out for us to preserve what is fundamental about our democracy.”
“January 6th was the first non-peaceful attempt to block the transfer of power in a presidential election in our nation’s history – a disgrace that included an assault on law enforcement officers and cost them their lives,” said Norm Eisen, Ethics Expert and Executive Chair of Democracy Defenders Fund. “We shouldn’t only focus on the continuing authoritarian attacks – including, as we speak today, insurrectionists marching again on the Capitol – but on democracy’s surge back and the huge democracy movement that continues to defend our republic.”
“When the violence failed on January 6th, the plan changed. It moved from the streets and a violent mob into official institutions. That same goal is now being carried out through law and procedure instead of mob violence. That is what election subversion looks like after January 6th,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “The lesson is incredibly clear: Democracy does not defend itself. Protecting democracy takes work – vigilance, accountability, and collective action from all of us.”
“We’re marking the fifth anniversary of the January 6th attack just as we begin to mark the 250th year since the United States declared itself an independent and free democracy. The attack on democracy hasn’t ended. The crisis has only deepened,” said Elizabeth Wydra, President of the Constitutional Accountability Center. “Authoritarian forces are pulling us backward, but we must use that tension to propel ourselves forward toward a more perfect union.”
Watch the full press call here.