成人X站

MYNORTHWEST POLITICS

‘A difficult day for many of us:’ Jayapal comments on Trump certification 4 years after Jan. 6 attack

Jan 6, 2025, 3:04 PM

strike...

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

颁辞苍驳谤别蝉蝉听听笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟-别濒别肠迟听聽as the winner of the 2024 election in聽聽Monday that unfolded without challenge, in stark contrast to the聽 as a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash. 7) told 成人X站 Newsradio’s Aaron Granillo that it was a “difficult day,” but that a peaceful transfer of power is the correct way to proceed in a democracy.

Lawmakers convened under heavy security and a winter snowstorm聽to meet the date required by law to certify聽the election. Layers of tall black fences flanked the Capitol complex in a stark reminder of what happened聽, when a defeated Trump sent rallygoers to聽鈥渇ight like hell鈥澛爄n what became聽the most gruesome attack聽on the seat of American democracy in 200 years.

The whole process concluded swiftly and without unrest. One by one, a tally of the electoral votes from each state was read aloud to polite applause in the House; no one objected, and 聽were certified.

Granillo interviewed Jayapal on Monday. Below is both an audio recording and a transcription of that interview.

Aaron Granillo, 成人X站 Newsradio: We’ll just start off with general thoughts on the day that was in Congress.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash. 7): Well, I think this is a difficult day for many of us. A lot of mixed emotions, obviously, because four years ago, when we thought we were coming to peacefully transfer power based on how voters voted in an election. It was a terrible violent assault on the United States Capitol, an insurrection that was fueled by the sitting president, Donald Trump, and today, in what was exactly how it should be, a very peaceful transfer of power, despite the fact that we Democrats did not this was not the results we wanted.

I thought that it showcased exactly what must happen every time, whether we like the election results or not, and it also committed to memory the horrific violence that we saw four years ago and how outrageous it was that that very president is the one that we’re certifying the election for. So it’s complicated.

Granillo: I know you mentioned that it was there were no objections this time around. Was that intentional? Because I know you know what was it in 2016 there were some objections from you and others in Congress to try to stop the certification of the election then.

Jayapal: Those objections were, at the time, about making a point, but all of us knew that it was not going to stop anything from happening because they were not signed by a senator. But what happened in 2020 was completely different, and I think not a single one of us was out there inciting an insurrection and calling for violence, which is exactly what Donald Trump was doing in 2020, so I don’t think that they’re comparable in the least.

I do think that there was a very conscious decision this time to be very clear that there are no election deniers on our side of the aisle. I think one of the things that was hardest for me is that, and for many of us is that there are still 137 Republican members of Congress who have continued to deny the results of the 2020 election and continue to spread misinformation and disinformation about that election. They do not recognize Joe Biden as having legitimately won that election, and they’re serving in Congress today. And that, to me, is terrifying, because, again, this has to be, and I put this in my statement, it has to be that we certify the election for who the voters voted for, regardless of what we feel about the outcome. And that can’t just be true on the Democratic side. It has to be true on the Republican side as well.

Granillo: So now we find ourselves here entering a brand new Congress, and you are working alongside some of these election deniers. Do you plan on working across the aisle with them?

Jayapal: I have worked across the aisle on a number of issues with people who I’ve vehemently disagree with, and I’m deeply disappointed that this is where they landed. But we are in Congress, we try to use every opportunity based on the issue that is in front of us. So. To do the work that we have to do, and as I said to my constituents in a statement this morning, I will do everything I can to stand up and fight for the best outcome for vulnerable people, working-class people across this country, and I will work with anybody to do that, but if they are attacked being attacked, if those very people are being attacked, I intend to stand up and fight back against that.

Granillo: Who do you fear will be attacked by? You know this incoming administration, the Republican-controlled House. I know you probably have some fears about deportations, things of that nature. I know those flights are continuing now at the King County international airports. Your thoughts on that.

Jayapal: The very first big fight will be around another tax scam that is going to hurt working people across this country who are struggling already and who were promised lower prices, lower costs, and are not going to get that what, what we’re going to see is another Trump tax scam, just like the first one. It was the time when Donald Trump was the most unpopular, other than January 6, because people understood he was taking money from regular working class people and giving it to the richest billionaires. Now, those billionaires actually control the cabinet of Donald Trump, and I think that we are afraid for how people are going to manage economically.

I’m also worried about our LGBTQ community, our trans community, our immigrant community, these are all communities that Donald Trump has been attacking mercilessly and are very important to our region, to our state. And I think that we’re going to have to push back on that, just as we did on the horrific family separations that happened under Donald Trump when he tries to do those things again, and I believe he will, because he’s the same people who did it the last time, who are coming back in so we’ll be vigilant. We will be standing up and united in a United Way as a Democratic caucus, try to take on everything that we possibly can.

Jason Rantz opinion: Did Seattle progressive Pramila Jayapal try to stop Trump certification again?

Granillo: I’ll leave you on this. But everything you’re seeing obviously resonates with many voters here in Washington, we were one of the few states, and not the only state, really, to move a bit farther to the left, but the message from the Progressive Caucus that you lead doesn’t did not seem to resonate with voters across the country. So how do you sort of make that message that worked here work elsewhere?

Jayapal: Well, actually, I think our message did resonate across the country in terms of the economic future that people want. I mean, if you look at you know, it was in Republican states that higher minimum wage passed, that paid leave passed. It was in Republican states and Republican districts across country where a populist message about taking on corporate concentration and raising wages and lowering costs for people that absolutely did resonate. And if you notice in the house, we actually have a slimmer margin, the Republicans have a slimmer margin this time than they did last time around. I also think that at the end of the day, even when Republicans are throwing up immigrants or trans kids and attacking them.

You know, these most vulnerable communities, what they’re really doing is distracting people from what the economic reality is. They’re trying to make villains out of people who should not be villainized. And I think that if we address the economic pieces of this, it will be harder and harder for for, you know, for Republicans to continue to villainize immigrants. But I think despite all of that, if you look at the polling across the country, Americans believe that immigrants are good for this country, and most people do not vote based on what is happening with with trans kids, vulnerable trans kids. So I just think that those are red herrings, and actually a progressive message did resonate, and had we passed build back better with housing investments and with child care investments, I think we might be in a very different place today, but we’re going to continue to work on that.

Contributing: Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest; The Associated Press

This transcipt has been edited for grammar and clarity. None of the thoughts or ideas have been altered.

MyNorthwest Politics

Tesla...

MyNorthwest Staff

Washington legislature passes EV credit tax targeting Tesla

Substitute House Bill 2077 moves forward with the Washington State Legislature, targeting Teslas with a tax.

13 hours ago

AmeriCorps...

Frank Lenzi

Washington AG fights Trump’s dismantling of AmeriCorps

Attorney General Nick Brown challenges Trump's order dismantling AmeriCorps, aiming to protect community service programs.

15 hours ago

sanctuary states cities trump...

Frank Sumrall

WA in Trump’s crosshairs as administration compiles list of sanctuary states, cities

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that intends to crack down on "sanctuary states and cities."

17 hours ago

amazon white house tariff...

Frank Sumrall

Amazon retreats on tariff cost tag after White House calls it ‘hostile’

Amazon is reportedly backing off its plan to display tariff costs for consumers on its website next to its products, something the White House described as a "hostile act."

20 hours ago

Guests including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk, arrive before the 60th P...

Matt Markovich

Bezos bolts, billions lost: Is Washington’s wealth walking out the door?

Jeff Bezos' relocation could signal a new era for Washington's tax future and wealth distribution. Explore the implications.

22 hours ago

democrat direction...

Frank Sumrall

Focus on ‘wannabe dictator’ Trump: WA Rep. sounds off on Democrat Party’s direction

U.S. House representative Adam Smith, the longest-serving member of Washington鈥檚 U.S. House delegation, wants to reconfigure and rebrand the Democratic Party.

1 day ago

‘A difficult day for many of us:’ Jayapal comments on Trump certification 4 years after Jan. 6 attack