During an emotionally powerful presentation on Wednesday, House Impeachment Manager Del. Stacey Plaskett, D-Virgin Islands, said the insurrectionist events of Jan. 6 mirrored her experience at the Capitol as a young staffer on 9/11.
Speaking in a slow and measured tone, Plaskett noted this year marks the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that includes a hijacked airplane that was headed towards Capitol had it not been for the heroic actions of some brave passengers who brought the plane down.
"Almost everyday I remember that 44 Americans gave their lives to stop the plane that was headed to this Capitol building," she said.
"I thank them every day for saving my life and the life of so many others. Those Americans sacrificed their lives for love of country, honor, duty, all the things that America means. The Capitol stands because of people like that."
She noted that the Capitol, conceived of by the founding fathers and built by the hands of slaves, has remained standing "through the sacrifice of service men and women around the world."
But, she said, the violent aims that foreign terrorists unsuccessfully hoped to mete out was accomplished at the invitation of the president of the United States.
The mob of insurgents were compelled by "our own president ... to stop the certification of a presidential election."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
