Five years after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, lawmakers who served on the House select committee investigating the event continue to reflect on its impact and defend their work amid ongoing political divisions.
Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said in an interview that reminders of that day persist for him, noting, “Those are things that I think will always be there.” He described feelings triggered by groups wearing red hats or when weather conditions resemble those from around the anniversary.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., commented on the lasting effect of the attack: “Sometimes it feels like it was yesterday. The initial horror and frightfulness and trauma of those events has just dissipated somewhat, but the basic contours of the political struggle we’re in are still sharply etched in our society.”
Former committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said tensions rise each year as the anniversary approaches, leading to more anonymous threats against his office. “The threatening phone calls still come,” he stated.
The select committee concluded its investigation in 2022 with a report exceeding 800 pages that placed significant responsibility on former President Donald Trump for inciting supporters to storm the Capitol while attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat. In response, Trump criticized committee members and issued pardons to individuals involved in the riot after returning to office last year.
Lawmakers involved in the probe say their concerns remain relevant as debates over accountability and security continue. Raskin remarked, “We are still very much in the fight of our lives.”
Raskin recounted personal tragedy surrounding January 6, having lost his son days before returning to Congress only to face violence at the Capitol. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., recalled fleeing through tunnels during the attack and contrasted it with unity following September 11: “I remembered what a unifying event that tragedy was… And I remember thinking on Jan. 6 that this event was not going to be a unifying event.”
Schiff has recently faced federal scrutiny over alleged mortgage fraud—allegations he denies—claiming political motivations behind them: “I was attacked on a pretty much daily, weekly, monthly basis by Trump in his first term… So this is sort of a continuation of that, but armed with new and dangerous tools…”
Efforts for an independent commission modeled after post-9/11 investigations failed in Congress; instead, a House select committee was formed without bipartisan agreement after then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy withdrew participation when Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected some Republican appointees.
Thompson reflected on this outcome: “It would have been good if we could have had a committee with some more teeth,” though he stood by its conclusions referring Trump for possible charges including obstruction and inciting insurrection.
Only two Republicans participated—both chosen by Pelosi—and neither remains in Congress. Liz Cheney lost her primary race following Trump’s endorsement of her opponent; Adam Kinzinger did not seek reelection due to increasing polarization.
Some Democrats also left Congress or lost reelection bids after serving on the panel. Elaine Luria is seeking a return after being unseated; she told NBC News last November: “I’m not scared. I’m coming back. I really believe in what I did and the work that the committee did.”
President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for select committee members and staff before leaving office out of concern for potential retaliation.
Raskin asserted about their findings: “We wrote a report which is definitive and authoritative. No one has successfully contradicted a single sentence in that report.”
However, Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., continues questioning aspects of both security failures and how evidence was handled by investigators: “We’re not any better off today… How did this Capitol get breached… No one’s ever addressed that.” Loudermilk now leads a subcommittee examining unresolved issues related to January 6.
Disputes over conspiracy theories persist online despite official investigations debunking several claims—including one promoted by The Blaze implicating law enforcement as suspects based solely on gait analysis before authorities arrested another individual.
Thompson maintained confidence in his panel’s work against criticism: “Look, I will defend a person’s opposition… It’s just that in many instances… what they say or do is absolutely wrong.”
He keeps photos from January 6 as reminders at home and at work: “I didn’t get on the floor… Being a Mississippian, a lot of people had sacrificed for a person like me to get to hold elected office.” Thompson noted his family’s history with voting rights struggles as part of why defending democracy matters deeply to him.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren described her experience serving on both investigative panels as intense but important: “It was important to us that the information that we obtained be delivered in a way that was accessible to every American.” She added daily discussions now focus more on cost-of-living issues than past events at the Capitol.
As Democrats prepare hearings marking five years since January 6 under Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ direction—with Thompson again leading efforts—they emphasize ongoing risks tied to election denialism and violence fueled by recent presidential pardons.
Aguilar summarized broader implications: “This is bigger than me… It’s the entire country who is having to deal with the impacts.” He concluded there is unfinished business regarding safety, truth-telling, democratic protections, and honoring those who defended Congress during crisis.
