WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after voting to convict Donald Trump for inciting the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol:
“It’s impossible to watch the footage presented by the House Managers and not come to the conclusion that Donald Trump was responsible for inciting the deadly attack on our Capitol. The facts speak for themselves: Donald Trump spent years cheerleading violence and intimidation as political tools and months spreading conspiracies and lies about the election being stolen. He stoked the fury of his supporters, repeatedly telling them that they had to ‘fight like hell’ to overturn the election. He rescheduled his rally to coincide with the electoral vote count, and then sent his mob to the Capitol. He did nothing to stop the attack once it started and reportedly celebrated it at the White House. Since the attack, he has shown absolutely no remorse for the death and destruction it caused.
“All of the facts point to one inescapable conclusion. The insurrection was not to Donald Trump a terrible tragedy, it was exactly what he wanted. ‘We love you,’ he told the rioters who had just murdered a police officer and erected gallows to hang his Vice President. Donald Trump attacked the very foundation of our constitutional democracy by trying to seize power through lies and violence. Thus, I conclude that former President Trump did incite the insurrection, and I voted for his conviction today.
“In the months ahead, I will do all in my power to repair our republic and advance the vision of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. To that goal, I will work to pass S.1, the For the People Act, which tackles the dark money, partisan gerrymandering, and voter suppression that seeks to erect a blockade to prevent many Americans from voting. Congress has a grave responsibility to pass it without delay.”
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