It was beyond sickening, what they did

With each new hearing in Congress, we're learning just how far Donald Trump and Republicans were willing to go to seize power after they lost the 2020 election.

The revelations have been coming in fast waves, but I think this Trump quote sums up everything we've learned so far:

"Just say it was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen."

By now, it's clear his goal was as simple as it was disgraceful: to overturn the will of the people, throw out the results of a fair election, and unravel our democracy – all to hold on to power.

In America, that's unprecedented. We've always had a peaceful transfer of power, but on January 6, we came so close to fascism. Trump did everything he could to illegitimately hold onto the presidency.

And so many of his Republican allies in the House and Senate followed him without question. What they did is beyond sickening and goes against everything each and every one of them promised to uphold when they swore their oaths to defend our country.

Undoubtedly, if Republicans were in control of the House right now, most of these revelations would be buried. There'd be no hearings. There would be no accountability, and they'd be blowing endless smoke about how the January 6 insurrection was not a big deal and how if it was, then it's someone else's fault.

While a few brave members of their caucus are trying to do the right thing (and paying a heavy political price for it), it's clear that a large majority of the Republican party is more than happy to go along for the ride if it means clinging to power.

Accountability is necessary for healing. The January 6 hearings offer us exactly that: an ability to come together as a country in the light of truth and to ensure something this awful never happens again.

I am eager to see what comes next and to play my part in holding everyone behind January 6 to account, from those who stormed the Capitol to the politicians who pulled the strings.

Jim