BEAUMONT, Texas — Thousands of Americans stormed the US Capitol, clashed with police, and tried to stop the certification of President Joe Biden's election victory on Jan 6, 2021.
Today, the Hill is a much quieter scene. Across our nation’s Capitol, vigils are being held to remember the five people killed in the attack.
Local political expert Tom Taschinger said no one saw the January 6 Capitol riots coming, and no one will ever forget them.
"It was a sad day in American history. It was really, as you said, it's like 9/11 or some terrible day you all remember where you were at," Taschinger said.
There are some images that will forever stick with Congressman Randy Weber. He was there amid the chaos and confusion of the attack of the Capitol last year.
“I was sitting on the floor of the house and all H-E-double was breaking loose,” Weber told 12News in a file store. “And it appeared that the protesters were going to get into the House Chamber, and the police were doing everything they could to barricade the doors and protect all the members until finally, they ushered us all out and down a hall and into kind of a secret hiding place.”
So, what started all of this chaos?
Taschinger said you have to look back to the 2020 presidential election.
Serious allegations of voter fraud led some Trump supporters to question who really won the election.
But according to Taschinger, the American people would later learn there was little evidence to support widespread voter fraud.
"Republican officials and Republican judges acted honestly and ethically in reviewing the elections. They said Biden won. They did reviews here, and there was no evidence to change it," Taschinger said.
Taschinger said one of the lasting effects of this period of history is that he believes there will be continued challenges to congressional certifications of elected presidents.
"Candidates now running for secretary of state and positions like that who are saying 'Well no, we should not have certified that election,'” Taschinger said. “And let’s say this happens again in the 2024 elections. Would they certify the results if a Democrat won?"
Taschinger also said we’re just so divided nowadays, and we need to get back to accepting the results on these elections win, lose or draw.
A house committee continues to investigate the events leading up to the siege.
They're still working to determine what went wrong and who is responsible.
President Biden remained resolute on the deadly riot's anniversary. He had harsh words for those who may try something similar again.
"I will stand in this breach. I will defend this nation, and I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy," Biden said.