Wisconsin lawmakers reflect on Jan. 6 attack and its lasting effects
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It was one year ago many were glued to their TV sets watching the event unfold on Jan. 6, 2021 as Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
In the days following, social media threats were made about plans for violence at state Capitols, including Wisconsin's.
Out of precaution, armored vehicles and barriers surrounded the state Capitol. Law enforcement and Wisconsin National Guard troops roamed outside, taking laps around the Capitol in full riot gear.
Luckily, nothing happened and things remained calm.
As lawmakers reflect on the one-year anniversary, many Democrats feel it will have lasting effects.
We reached out to all 10 members of Wisconsin's Congressional Delegation, among Republicans they either declined or ignored our request for an interview.
While all members condemned the violence, Democrats believe it's Republicans' rhetoric about the 2020 election that continues to be a threat to democracy.
One of the more outspoken Republicans during the attack was Rep. Mike Gallagher (WI-8th) who posted a Twitter video asking Donald Trump to tell his supporters to leave the Capitol.
"We are witnessing absolute banana republic crap in the United States Capitol," Gallagher said on Twitter. "This is the cost of countenancing an effort by Congress to overturn the election and telling thousands of people there is a legitimate shot of overturning the election."
Senator Ron Johnson called the breach "disgusting" and then later claimed it was not an "armed insurrection." In March, during a 'Back the Badge' event in Muskego, Johnson said, "The false narrative was that there were thousands of armed insurrections -- there weren't."
Now, the Oshkosh Republican wants to strip the Wisconsin Elections Commission of its power and give it to the GOP-controlled Legislature.
Other Republicans are seeking to criminally charge commissioners for their guidance during the 2020 election, and some are pushing to jail the mayors of Madison and Green Bay for not cooperating with Republicans' months-long election investigation.
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin believes their efforts will only ramp up, unless more Republicans speak out.
"We really call on Republicans to stop perpetrating Trump's big lie," Baldwin said. "Stop calling for the intimidation and harassment of state and local election officials."
When asked what it will take to restore faith in future elections, Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI 2nd) said more Republicans need to break ties from former President Donald Trump.
"You know the real problem is the current Republican party is less like a political party and more of a cult of a figure of Donald Trump," he said.
Democrats have long called on their Republican colleagues to stop sowing doubts in the election, but their calls have mostly been ignored.
Many Wisconsin Republicans remain committed to Trump despite his repeated false claims blaming widespread voter fraud for his loss to Joe Biden.
A nonpartisan and conservative review of the election both confirmed Joe Biden’s narrow victory over Trump by about 21,000 votes, and found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
"They are still trying to please him by continuing to do an election review, which is ridiculous," Pocan said.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired retired Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to conduct a review of Wisconsin's 2020 election. It remains unknown when the review will be complete, but Vos recently asked Gableman for his report by February in an attempt to draft bills this session.