US Rep. Veronica Escobar reflects on Jan. 6 insurrection at US Capitol one year later
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Editor's note: This report has been updated with the correct location of an FBI raid in December and to reflect that no charges tied to the insurrection have been filed in the case.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, was trapped in the House gallery when the U.S. Capitol building was attacked by right-wing insurrectionists one year ago.
During a virtual news conference Thursday, Escobar said she still remembers the voices of the chanting mob and the sound of fists pounding on doors.
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"It was so loud," Escobar said. "The breaking of glass — I could hear it two floors up. Having been here that day, it is absolutely impossible to have not recognized that as an absolute attack against the Capitol."
Escobar said that at one point she was face-to-face with an insurrectionist, with only a pane of glass separating them.
Escobar recalls gunshot that killed Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt
Escobar also said she still remembers the sound of the fatal gunshot that killed Ashli Babbitt, who tried crawling through a broken window of a barricaded door while wearing a Donald Trump flag as a cape.
Escobar said she still feels terror.
"But the terror that I feel is for our democracy," Escobar said of the rioters, some of whom marched to the Capitol building after being instructed by the former president to contest his loss of the 2020 presidential election. "I really truly feel that this is the year that we either continue to maintain our democracy or that we lose it. Congress has to act."
It has been a challenge for Escobar to process and cope with the trauma of that day.
"I have definitely gone through various different emotions from rage, to sadness, to despair, to hope," Escobar said.
More: FBI investigates El Pasoans who might have participated in US Capitol insurrection
More: Fact check roundup: Debunking false narratives about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot
Capitol arrests lead to hundreds of charges
In January 2021, the FBI began investigating El Pasoans who might have taken part in the insurrection. Less than three weeks after the attack on the Capitol, there were at least 75 arrests across the nation in connection with it, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
One year later, 738 people face charges ranging from assaulting a federal officer, obstructing law enforcement, entering a restricted building or grounds, violent entry and disorderly conduct.
In December, the FBI conducted a raid in Anthony, Texas, on a home of a person who might have been involved in the insurrection. However, no charges tied to the insurrection have been filed in the case.
Escobar said the FBI hasn't told her of any El Pasoans who participated in the riot, but she said she knows that there were members of the community who participated in breaching the Capitol.
"So, those who participated in breaching the Capitol, whether they were El Pasoans, or from elsewhere, they must be held accountable," Escobar said. "They knew exactly what they were doing. They knew exactly what they were participating in, and they need to be held to account."
Escobar and other U.S. representatives shared their first-hand experiences of the attack on the Capitol to commemorate the one-year anniversary and honor the lives of the Capitol police who were lost.
A candlelit vigil near the U.S. Capitol was set to be held in the evening, as well as a performance by the Baltimore Urban Inspiration Choir.
Sen. César Blanco reflects a year after Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection
Sen. César Blanco released the following statement on Thursday, "A year ago, the images and video footage of a mob attacking our capitol stunned our nation and the world. Insurrectionists stormed our Capitol to overturn a legitimate election and prevent a peaceful transfer of power. There is no question this was an attack on our democracy and constitution. One year later, we must continue working to heal the divide in our nation by upholding our shared democratic values and fighting against dangerous disinformation. We must put people over politics. We are Americans with more in common than that which divides us. Let us also remember the Capitol police and National Guard who bravely protected our democracy that day."
More: Records: Alpine man arrested in Capitol insurrection called it 'proudest day of my life'
Anthony Jackson may be reached at ADJackson@elpasotimes.com and @TonyAnjackson on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Escobar fears for US democracy year after Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection
