WASHINGTON — Working to get to the bottom of the relationship between the white supremacist movement and domestic terrorism, lawmakers on Wednesday again focused on the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Democrats on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties pointed out that most of the estimated 450 people who have been arrested so far are white, and many of them have backgrounds in law enforcement or the military.
"This hearing is just part of our subcommittee's ongoing work to expose the dangers of white supremacy's violence to the American people and our national security and to explore the best legislative efforts to counter domestic violence extremists, which has been identified the key security threat to the American people today from terrorism," said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland).
Committee Republicans countered that any work that the panel does going forward should also explore the social justice protests which took place last summer across the country.
"We need to include looking not at just this event but antifa and Black Lives Matter," said Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas). "We need members of Congress who will stand up and denounce violence across the board."
New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal testified virtually before the panel during the meeting titled “Confronting Violent White Supremacy Examining the Rise of Militia Extremism.”
He said: "The threat of domestic violence extremism, fueled by militia, anti-government, white supremacist ideologies might be greater than any time in recent memory."
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel also testified.
"Some extremist militias are driven by white supremacist ideologies, others are inspired by far-right ideologies. Regardless of motivation, combatting violence is the goal and bipartisan solutions must be achieved," she said.