Congresswoman Robin Kelly testifies at Washington hearing examining the events of Jan. 6, 2021

Jan

2026

In the News

Congresswoman Robin Kelly testifies at Washington hearing examining the events of Jan. 6, 2021

The Buzz

A RECKONING: Five years after the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol aimed at overturning President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss, Illinois leaders revisited the day that left police officers assaulted, Vice President Mike Pence threatened with hanging and democratic norms shaken.

Illinois voices: Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and former Congressman Adam Kinzinger testified Tuesday at a Washington hearing examining the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

Back in Chicago, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch reflected on the lasting fallout, saying “we are still living with the consequences” of that day.

No finite game: “Jan. 6 happened because too many people, especially those in positions of power, particularly one person, decided to treat democracy like a finite game,” Welch said during remarks at a City Club luncheon. “They believe that power was something to be seized, not stewarded. They believe that the rules only matter when they are winning.”

Meanwhile in Washington, Democrats held an hours-long hearing recounting the violence and its aftermath. Sitting Republicans did not attend, leaving the committee entirely composed of Democrats.

Speaking volumes: Kinzinger, one of two Republicans who served on the Jan. 6 Select Committee and voted in 2021 to impeach Trump on Jan. 6-related charges, criticized his former Republican colleagues for what he described as their silence in the face of the attack. They are “cowards,” he said.

“No rational person can look at that violence that occurred on January 6 and think that it is not wrong,” he said. “But even more concerning is that threats to our democracy have continued beyond what we witnessed five years ago, and it’s continued to today.”

Never forget: Kelly testified about the terror she and other lawmakers experienced as they hid from rioters inside the Capitol. “I will never, ever forget hiding on my hands and knees in the gallery,” she said. “I remember hearing the shot when the police officers shot a woman. I remember the three knocks on the door and no one wanted to answer because we didn’t know who it was. And then, finally, it was the Capitol Police telling us that we could run out the door.”

Rule of law: Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who also served on the committee, highlighted Raoul’s role in defending the rule of law in the years since.

What a moment: Raoul, for his part, argued Jan. 6 has continued to impact his state, noting challenges his office has faced over the past year as it pushed back against efforts by the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois over the objections of local officials. “This is an extraordinary moment in American history,” Raoul said.

Time to remember: Kinzinger said it’s time Congress installs a long-approved plaque honoring the police officers who defended the Capitol that day. “You don’t have to say that Donald Trump won or lost 2020,” he said. “You just have to say that D.C. metro and Capitol Police did a hell of a job defending this Capitol that day.”

By Shia Kapos