Andy Kim Profile picture
Jan 5, 2022 24 tweets 4 min read Read on X
Remember what Republican leaders said before amnesia set in. I took notes that night:
Mitch McConnell (Jan6): "The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people...They tried to disrupt our democracy, they failed…This failed insurrection.” THREAD
Kevin McCarthy (Jan 6): The violence, destruction, and chaos we saw earlier was unacceptable undemocratic and unamerican. It was the saddest day I’ve ever had as serving as a member of this institution…We saw the worst of America this afternoon…”
Kevin McCarthy on Jan 13: “last week’s violent attack on the Capitol was undemocratic, un-American and criminal…those who are responsible for Wednesday’s chaos will be brought to justice…The President bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters.”
VP Pence on Jan 6: “Today was a dark day in the history of the United States capitol…We condemn the violence that took place here in the strongest possible terms…To those who wreaked havoc today, you did not win.”
Rep Steve Scalise on Jan 6: “Once you start taking violent actions against law enforcement you’re not a protestor anymore, you are an anarchist. Whether it’s anarchy or terrorism, they were trying to storm the Capitol and stop our democracy from working.”
Rep Stefanik (R) on Jan 6: “This has been a truly tragic day for America, and we all join together in fully condemning the dangerous violence and destruction…violence in any form is absolutely unacceptable, anti-American, and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mike Gallagher (R) on Jan 6: “Mr. President. You have got to stop this. You are the only person who can call this off. Call it off. The election is over. Call it off. This is bigger than you. It is bigger than any member of Congress. It is about the United States of America”
Senator Lindsey Graham on Jan 7:
“When it comes to accountability the president needs to understand that his actions were the problem not the solution”
Senator Rand Paul on Jan 6: “Chaos, anarchy. The violence today was wrong and un-American”
Rep Chip Roy (R) on Jan 6: “Today the people’s house was attacked, which is an attack on the republic itself…People need to go to jail… and the president should never have spun up certain Americans to believe something that simply cannot be.”
Senator Thune (R) on Jan 6: “I hope that the types of people who stormed the Capitol today got a clear message that they will not stop our democracy from moving forward…We need to get our work done and this kind of thuggery would not keep us from doing the people’s work”
Rep Dan Crenshaw (R) on Jan 7: “On Wednesday the Capitol of the most powerful nation the world has ever known was stormed by an angry mob. Americans surely never thought they’d see such a scene…It was a display not of patriotism but of frenzy and anarchy.“
Senator Ben Sasse (R) on Jan 6: “This building has been desecrated, blood has been spilled in the hallways…what happened today isn’t what America is…There are some who are trying to burn it all down, and we met some of them today.”
Senator Rob Portman (R) on Jan 6: “I condemn the violent and criminal acts that took place at the US Capitol today. These shameful actions to disrupt a session of Congress and vandalize the Capitol building should never happen in our great republic”
Senator Barrasso (R) on Jan 6: “The violence and destruction have no place in our republic.”
Senator Roy Blunt (R) on Jan 6: “The events unfolding at the Capitol are shameful. There is no justification for violence and destruction. It has to stop now. This is not who we are as a nation. Thank you to the Capitol Police who are keeping us safe.”
Senator Blackburn (R) on Jan 6: “These actions at the US Capitol by protestors are truly despicable and unacceptable. While I am safe and sheltering in place, these protests are prohibiting us from doing our constitutional duty. I condemn them in the strongest possible terms.”
Senator Cynthia Lummis (R) on Jan 6: “Call it what it is: An attack on the Capitol is an attack on democracy”
Senator Rick Scott (R) on Jan 6: “No one has a right to commit violence. What happened today at the Capitol is disgraceful and un-American. It is not what our country stands for.”
Rep Cathy Rodgers (R) on Jan 6: “What we have seen today is unlawful and unacceptable…I have decided I will vote to uphold the Electoral College results and I encourage Donald Trump to condemn and put an end to this madness.”
Senator Rubio on Jan 6: “There is nothing patriotic about what is occurring on Capitol Hill. This is 3rd world style anti-American anarchy”
Senator Rick Scott (R) on Jan 6: “No one has a right to commit violence. What happened today at the Capitol is disgraceful and in-American. It is not what this country stands for”
Senator McConnell: “Former President Trump’s actions preceding the riot were a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty. There’s no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.”
These are their words from a year ago. Let’s not let them forget. If you know of other notable statements, reply below. END

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More from @AndyKimNJ

Apr 29
I first met @YaelBromberg, @bmpugach and Flavio Komuves just 5 months ago. While we talked, the gravity of what we were considering hit me. I asked them point blank, what’s our chance of winning a lawsuit against the political machine? Is this a Hail Mary or do we have a shot?🧵
The three of them didn’t flinch. They each took turns telling me why this was real. They embodied confidence yet humility. They were pragmatic and tactical while maintaining the hopefulness and courage one needs to take on NJ politics. 2/6
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Mar 12
Politics in NJ is facing a real crossroads right now between elite control and power of people. The same leaders who gain political control through the county line on ballots are flexing to ram through a bill gutting OPRA and transparency. These problems are interconnected THREAD Image
Of all the things to fast track...leaders are spending time and capital reducing transparency. We have affordability, environmental, infrastructure challenges. It's a real prioritization problem to have a politics more interested in preserving/expanding their own control. 2/10 Image
The actions yesterday of reportedly replacing a state Senator on a committee because he planned to vote against the bill shows how broken this process is. It gives the impression that individual lawmakers are irrelevant, and all that matters is what top leaders want. 3/10 Image
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Feb 26
The broken politics in New Jersey needs to end once and for all. Today I am filing suit and seeking an injunction to stop the corrupt county line system for this June 4 primary and to abolish it permanently going forward. 49 states use fair ballots; it’s time NJ does too. THREAD Image
Right now NJ allows a handful of party elites to give their handpicked candidates preferential placement on the ballot. This is a deeply unfair advantage that disenfranchises voters by applying undue influence and suppressing choice of candidates. Image
Voter disenfranchisement particularly harms candidates and voters of color. We’ve seen leaders from those communities - like NJ State Senators Shirley Turner and Troy Singleton - have the courage to take risk and come out to call for change. I’m grateful for their leadership.
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Jan 19
Last week I was proud to be endorsed by College Democrats of NJ, but I found out the terrible backstory that shows how Jersey politics is broken. The college students were pressured and threatened to not endorse me. Good thing they recorded the call. Here’s what happened…THREAD Image
Prior to the endorsement announcement, someone who works for the state Democratic Party told student leaders that endorsing me could affect their future job prospects and their org’s funding. The student leaders felt threatened and recorded the call. 2/9
nytimes.com/2024/01/14/nyr…
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I read the transcript of the call pressuring @NJCollegeDems to not endorse me. This line stood out to me:

“I also think there’s a very clear candidate here who should be representing the state. However, the powers that be do not want that candidate to be representing.”
3/9
Read 9 tweets
Jan 13
With today being Korean American Day I’m asked what it means to be Korean American. When I look at my boys wearing traditional Hanbok and besides the fact that they are unbelievably cute, it raises a lot of complex emotions that I’ve struggled with over my life…THREAD Image
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My parents struggled with how to raise us. They desperately wanted us to speak English with no accent. They didn’t want us to be treated the way they had that built an insecurity that they always felt judged as foreigners. 3/16 Image
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Jan 6
After the photo of me cleaning the Capitol went viral, people kept saying to me the phrase “Look For The Helpers.” I grew up with Mister Rogers and felt comfort in those words. But now, 3 yrs after Jan 6, I have come to learn an entirely different lesson from this phrase… THREAD
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This photo is 1st night I got home to my family after Jan 6. My 5 yr old asked me how I was doing and if something bad happened at work. My wife and I hadn’t told them anything yet but he must have heard something at school. So I turned to Mister Rogers: Look for the Helpers.2/11 Image
I told my sons that there were incredible helpers at the Capitol who kept me and others safe. We had heroes. Like Officer Eugene Goodman who faced down the mob. Heroes like Officer Brian Sicknick who gave his life to defend democracy. 3/11
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