We give the floor today to one of the brave Capitol Police officers who fought to defend American democracy against a mob of armed insurrectionists seeking to overturn the 2020 election. The following are the words of Winston Pingeon:

Five years ago today, I was called a traitor, violently assaulted in the line of duty, punched in the face, pepper sprayed, and thought ‘I’m going to die here on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.’

My name is Winston Pingeon, and I was an officer with the Capitol Police for over five years. Hundreds of police officers, my friends, fought valiantly to defend the Capitol and our democratic process that day.

What happened that day is wrong; it should go without saying. Pardoning criminals who severely beat me and my fellow officers that day is completely unacceptable.

I implore America to not forget what happened on January 6. We must refuse to accept the normalization of violence.

And, we remind our fellow citizens:

• Defending democracy is a civic duty
• Political violence is a crime against all of us
• The President is an administrator & a public servant, not a ruler
• Presidential immunity does not apply to unlawful acts
• The evidence is clear
• What it means to ‘make America great’