Putting January 6 in Historical Context
The events of January 6, 2021, were among the most shameful in American history. The long-standing tradition of the peaceful transfer of power was shattered when a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, forcing Congress to halt the constitutional process of certifying the 2020 election and seek safety. These actions not only set a potentially dangerous example for future elections but also caused significant harm to the image of American democracy worldwide.
President Trump’s refusal to accept the election results came after losing sixty-two out of sixty-two court cases challenging the election. This refusal stood in stark contrast to the words of Al Gore after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling determined the outcome of the 2000 election, when he said, “While I strongly disagree with the court’s decision, I accept it.”
However, the events of January 6 were not the first time a mob attempted to prevent Congress from certifying an election. In February 1861, a crowd—described by one observer as a "caldron of inflammable material”—tried to prevent the certification of Abraham Lincoln's election. Despite their efforts, they were unable to breach the building's security or interrupt the certification process. Unlike in 2021, a losing candidate did not encourage the protest.
Contrary to the often-repeated assertion that January 6 was the first attack on the U.S. Capitol since it was burned by the British during the War of 1812, there have been four successful violent attacks directed at the chambers of Congress, two of which occurred during time in Congress of the current president and many congressional leaders. This does not minimize the significance of January 6, but it is important to view history through an accurate lens.
On March 1, 1954, four Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the gallery of the House chamber, seeking to draw attention to their cause of Puerto Rican independence. They unfurled the Puerto Rican flag and fired guns down onto the House floor, wounding five representatives, none fatally. This attack followed an earlier attempt on the life of President Harry Truman by Puerto Rican independence activists four years prior.
There have also been three successful bombings at the U.S. Capitol, motivated by various political and ideological goals. On July 2, 1915, German citizen Eric Muenter planted a bomb beneath a Senate telephone switchboard, intending to damage the Senate chamber in support of Germany during World War I. The bomb exploded later that night, causing significant damage but no casualties.
The Weather Underground, a radical leftist group, was responsible for two bombings at the Capitol to protest American imperialism. In 1971, a bomb was placed in a men's restroom in the Capitol, causing extensive damage to the Senate chamber but no injuries. Another bombing occurred on November 7, 1983, when the May 19th Communist Organization (M19), a far-left group formed by members of the Weather Underground and the Black Liberation Army, exploded a bomb, damaging the wall of the Senate chamber. Although the explosion caused extensive damage, no one was injured.
There were also two failed attempts to shower violence down from the House visitors’ gallery while the body was in session. On December 13, 1932, a man brandished a gun in an effort to address the House with his solution to the Depression. He was disarmed. On October 18, 1983, another man sneaked an improvised explosive device into the gallery, intending to use it to force an opportunity to address the House about world hunger. He was similarly disarmed before he could ignite the bomb.
Numerous shootings and attempted shootings have also occurred at the U.S. Capitol by outsiders (incidents between members are not included here). The first act of violence at the Capitol since the British burned it in 1814 occurred on January 30, 1835, when Richard Lawrence, who suffered from mental illness, attempted to assassinate President Andrew Jackson as he was leaving the building. Lawrence fired two pistols at close range, but both misfired. He later claimed to be the rightful King of England and believed Jackson was preventing him from obtaining money owed to him and from acceding to the throne. This was the first attempted presidential assassination in U.S. history.
Another tragic incident occurred on February 28, 1890, when Charles Kincaid, a newspaper correspondent, shot and killed former Congressman William Taulbee of Kentucky on the Capitol’s east staircase. The shooting stemmed from personal animosities and a scuffle between Kincaid and Taulbee. Kinkaid was defended by Senator Daniel Voorhees and Congressman Charles Grosvenor and was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense. Today, blood stains remain on the marble staircase.
The deadliest shooting occurred on July 24, 1998, when Russell Eugene Weston Jr., a man who believed in conspiracy theories about government misconduct and who suffered from schizophrenia, shot, and killed two Capitol Police officers. He then made his way to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s office, where he was apprehended.
There are also several incidents that, while not occurring within the Capitol building itself, are notable as part of the historical record.
In 1947, William L. Kaiser, who had lost money in a financial scheme, shot at U.S. Senator and former vice-presidential candidate, John W. Bricker. Kaiser, who had personal grievances with Bricker, followed him to the U.S. Capitol subway and fired two shots that missed before being arrested.
Another incident occurred after the September 11 attacks, when anthrax-laced letters were sent to media outlets and members of Congress, including Senators Tom Daschle, the Majority Leader, and Patrick Leahy. The anthrax contaminated the Hart Senate Office Building, causing five deaths and twenty-two infections, though the letters did not target the Capitol directly.
On October 3, 2013, Miriam Carey, a woman suffering from psychosis, attempted to drive into the White House before leading police on a high-speed chase toward the Capitol. She was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer at the barricades while attempting to gain entry near the Capitol grounds. Carey had proclaimed herself the “Prophet of Stamford” and believed that President Obama was controlling her life.
In March 2016, Larry Russell Dawson, who had previously clashed with security, was shot by Capitol Police after being seen with a handgun at the Capitol Visitor Center. His actions were reportedly driven by delusions that God had designated him as a prophet.
Finally, on June 14, 2017, James Hodgkinson opened fire on twenty-five Republican congressmen during a practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. Although Hodgkinson wounded several, the shooting occurred away from the Capitol itself. He was killed by U.S. Capitol Police, who were assigned to protect House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was severely wounded.
There were also two historical events that, although not taking place in direct proximity to the Capitol, constitute “what might have been” attacks. One of these could have led to the destruction of the Capitol building.
On July 11-12, 1864, in the only potential military assault on the Capitol since 1814, Confederate General Jubal Early’s troops crossed the Potomac River into Maryland and positioned themselves outside the defenses of Washington, D.C., within sight of the Capitol Dome. The Confederate force was unable to breach the city’s defensive fortifications, which had been strengthened by emergency reinforcements.
On September 11, 2001, after hijacking United Airlines Flight 93, terrorists headed toward Washington, D.C., with the U.S. Capitol building as their likely target. However, passengers mounted an effort to retake the plane which crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, about an hour after another hijacked plane had crashed into the Pentagon.
The U.S. Capitol has been the focal point of great controversies and passions since it opened its doors on November 17, 1780. The final construction of the half-finished dome took place over the same period that the nation itself had to be reconstructed following the Civil War. The building expanded over time as the nation expanded. Over the years, both the structure and the democratic processes that take place within it have been tested by the passage of time and the demands of the modern world. To date, both the structure and democracy have survived violence and the threats of violence.
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