WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Some lawmakers emotionally recalled the . Others said they鈥檇 . And some said it wasn鈥檛 violent at all.
The certification Monday of Donald Trump鈥檚 presidential victory further exposed the divide, and the tension, among members of Congress over Jan. 6, 2021 鈥� as Trump has called the 鈥渁 day of love鈥� and has promised to who have been convicted of crimes related to that day once he is in office.
Unlike four years ago, when the joint session of Congress to count electoral votes by rioters trying to break down the doors, there was very little drama this Jan. 6 and no overt tension in the room as lawmakers read out each state鈥檚 electoral votes. Vice President Kamala Harris gaveled down her own defeat. Democrats did not object to any of the votes.
Standing beside windows where Trump鈥檚 supporters first broke into the building that day, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats want to 鈥渟erve as an example鈥� for Republicans.
The Democrats lost last year's election, Schumer said, but 鈥渨hen you lose an election you roll up your sleeves and try for the next one. You don鈥檛 deny that you lost.鈥�
The rioters who violently breached the Capitol four years ago, breaking in after a brutal fight with police, were echoing Trump鈥檚 false claims that the election was stolen and that President Joe Biden鈥檚 win was 鈥渞igged.鈥� Trump maintained 鈥� and 鈥� that he won the election even though it was certified by all 50 states and courts across the country reaffirmed Biden鈥檚 win.
Four years later, the Republican Party is still divided over the attack. On Monday, as they gleefully certified Trump鈥檚 win, some GOP lawmakers made a point of downplaying the violence four years ago, defending the more than 1,250 convicted of crimes.
Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., posted on X early Monday morning that 鈥渋ndividuals entered the Capitol, took photos, and explored the building before leaving,鈥� and have since been 鈥渉unted down鈥� and treated unjustly. Just after the joint session ended, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., repeated her plea that all of the rioters be pardoned and said 鈥渢his country should never allow this type of abuse of our justice system again.鈥�
Other Republicans remembered the day differently 鈥� a signal that Trump鈥檚 pledge to pardon rioters could become politically fraught even within his own party. It鈥檚 unclear, so far, whether he will try to pardon all of them or just those who were not violent.
鈥淚 was here,鈥� said Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Trump鈥檚 closest allies. 鈥淎sk the cops who got beaten up. Not everybody was violent, but there was definitely violence, and the people who defiled the Capitol and attacked police officers, they deserve to be held accountable.鈥�
Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said that 鈥渢he violence that occurred on that particular day, I will not forget.鈥�
鈥淚t was real,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd we have to recognize that was a very, very bad day in our country鈥檚 history.鈥�
More common are Republicans who don鈥檛 want to talk about it at all.
鈥淭hat was a long day and I don鈥檛 want to rehash it,鈥� said Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who was then in the House and helped blockade the doors as rioters tried to beat them down. He said he hadn鈥檛 talked about it since the one-year anniversary of the attack.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 in the past for me,鈥� Mullin said. 鈥淚 tell people all the time, you can鈥檛 drive out the rearview mirror.鈥�
New Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters, 鈥淚 was here, and I鈥檝e said what I have to say about that day, and I鈥檓 now looking forward.鈥�
On possible pardons, 鈥渋t鈥檚 going to be a call that the president has to make,鈥� Thune said.
Democrats marked the fourth anniversary by remembering their own experiences that day, and preparing for Trump's return to office.
Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson said after the session that he was angry that they were there to certify Trump鈥檚 win after what happened last time.
鈥淲e performed our perfunctory duty,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t should have been perfunctory four years ago. I鈥檓 angry that it was not.鈥�
Johnson was with other Democrats who were spacing out in the chamber amid the coronavirus pandemic. The group was trapped as people tried to beat the doors down below, and ducked below seats as rioters hunting lawmakers were rattling the doors behind them.
Some members of that group 鈥� who have dubbed themselves the 鈥済allery group鈥� 鈥� gathered for a photo Monday. Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal posted the photo on X.
鈥淲e will not forget,鈥� she wrote.
Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, one of the hundreds of police officers who fought the rioters four years ago, sat in the gallery on Monday as Congress certified Trump鈥檚 win, a guest of California Sen. Adam Schiff.
Hodges, who was captured on video crushed between two doors as some of the rioters beat him, said he found this year鈥檚 proceeding to be 鈥渧ery dry鈥� 鈥� like it should have been four years ago, he said.
Otherwise, he was marking the day by doing his job, like many of the other officers who spent the day protecting the city and members of Congress.
鈥淚 was at work before this and I鈥檓 going back to work afterward,鈥� he said.
Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
