Shadow of January 6 Riot Poisons Trust in a Divided Washington

December 13, 2023, 10:30 AM UTC

Nearly three years after a mob tore through the Capitol, the Jan. 6, 2021 riot is an open wound in Congress. It has ruptured working relationships and left an undercurrent of tension that haunts lawmakers in ways big and small.

It loomed significantly during one of the most dramatic moments of the year, the House speaker fight, including when Democrats supported the push to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Asked why they distrusted McCarthy so deeply, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) answered sharply, “I was here on January 6.”

Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) scoffs at what he says is Democrats’ inability to ...

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