Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) claimed January 6 was “one of the darkest days in our democracy,” and pontificated that pro-Trump protests were an “attack on the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob” and a “threat to our democracy” in a statement that blamed President Donald Trump for the day’s events.
In a statement posted to Facebook that attempted to make Democrats understand why he voted to “acquit” President Trump in a failed impeachment trial that took place after the former president took office, Boozman repeated left-wing media talking points about January 6.
“January 6, 2021 will forever be remembered as one of the darkest days in our nation’s history,” Boozman wrote. “The attack on the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob was a threat to our democracy. Courageous law enforcement officers defended lives and safeguarded the constitutional duty of Congress to certify the presidential election.”
Boozman’s statement continued, “While former President Donald Trump bears some responsibility for what happened that day, the perpetrators who planned, coordinated and assaulted the Capitol building must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law and brought to justice.”
The statement did not offer a substantive rebuttal to impeachment charges brought by Democrat lawmakers, indicating instead that Boozman’s decision to acquit was based on the belief that the “Senate’s time would have been better spent considering solutions that improve COVID-19 vaccination deployment.”
Boozman’s comments aligned with those of Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, who also strongly condemned President Trump despite voting to acquit:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who allegedly used the threat of a Senate conviction to blackmail President Donald Trump during his final days in office, seemed to call for a criminal trial against the former President only moments after voting to acquit him.
“January 6th was a disgrace. American citizens attacked their own government,” said McConnell, before claiming that President Trump inspired his supporters to use “terrorism” “to try to stop a specific piece of domestic business they did not like.”
They built a gallows and chanted about murdering the vice president,” said McConnell, without providing evidence. “They did this because they had been fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on Earth. Because he was angry. He had lost an election.”
Boozman will be up for reelection in 2022.
