As the nation marks the one year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capital by mobs of angry Trump supporters, state Senator Bobby Powell (D-West Palm Beach) on Thursday warned that the threat to our democracy continues at the state level, especially here in Florida:
“The deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol began as an attempt by insurrectionists to overturn the will of the voters in this country. The attack was instigated by Donald Trump to maintain his grip on power, and fueled by his “Big Lie,” an unfounded and discredited conspiracy theory that the election was somehow taken from him. The lie was embraced by his followers in the run-up to the January 6th attack, and continues to be embraced today.
“Nowhere has this been more apparent than here in Florida. Despite touting the 2020 election as a textbook example of a flawless process, our governor last year suddenly reversed course, not only backing legislation aimed at restricting voting access in The Sunshine State, but now gearing up in the 2022 legislative session to create a new and massive arm of law enforcement to crack down on largely non-existent, widespread voter fraud.
“On this one-year anniversary of January 6th, we should be honoring all those U.S. Capitol Police officers who were severely wounded or lost their lives in defense of our democracy. Passing more partisan legislation to carry on Trump’s deception and carry out the insurrectionists’ agenda dishonors that legacy.
“The right of citizens to a free and fair voting process, void of interference from government interests, especially those personally vested in the outcome of an election, is fundamental to our democracy. I urge all Floridians, including members of the Florida Legislature, to reject these ongoing attempts to legitimize Trump’s web of lies by stripping the people of their right to vote, and threatening the voting process.”
