On Wednesday, the Secret Service announced its intention to beef up security around the Capitol on January 6, 2025. As The Washington Post reports, that day has been designated as “a National Special Security Event” by the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service will coordinate with other agencies to provide security for the day.
The real genius of the United States—the feature that made the nation a wonder to others around the world in the 18th century—was the routine transfer of power. It’s something that the nation managed without having to impose this kind of security 45 times in the past.
Now, thanks to one man, a day reserved for a standard, almost ceremonial procedure, has become such a target that its defense places it on par with the most hazardous events, for good reason. Donald Trump has also been planning how he can get his supporters angry enough to attempt a second insurrection.
Meanwhile, the echoes of what happened on January 6, 2021, are far from over.
Earlier this week, former Capitol Hill Police Officer Harry Dunn tweeted his anger over how the Fraternal Order of Police decided to endorse Trump even though he had encouraged violence against law enforcement in the assault on the Capitol.
Dealing with what happened when Trump’s supporters tried to overthrow the government in 2021 isn’t over. On Tuesday, a man was arrested for having “repeatedly struck a police officer with a flagpole” on January 6. That man then went on Facebook to brag that the Trump insurrectionists “took our house back.”
In supporting Trump, the FOP embraced this man and all the others who assaulted their fellow officers—a twisted, pathetic decision.
The move to protect the Capitol this time around came after Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a request and the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack approved resources to protect members of Congress during the electoral vote count.
However, that protection is not guaranteed. Funds still have to be allocated to the Secret Service for the plan to move forward, and with Republicans caught up in another internal war, those funds are far from a sure thing.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has been unable to move a funding bill forward. The last attempt was pulled from the floor on Wednesday after a group of Republicans rebelled against party leadership. There are reports the House will try again Thursday, but there’s no assurance that whatever legislation results will include provisions to fund protection of the Capitol.
According to the Post, a good deal of work has gone into preventing a repeat of what happened after the last election.
Across Washington and the country, lawmakers, aides, lawyers, activists, political strategists and law enforcement officers who aim to protect the peaceful transition of power next January have spent much of the past few years thinking through and preparing for a dizzying array of nightmare post-election scenarios.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to believe that there have also been groups preparing to defeat security measures and deliver those nightmares.
And it’s also easy to believe that instead of securing democracy, Republicans may still leave the doors unlocked and invite a fresh coup attempt.
Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.
