One Year Later, What are the Lasting Effects of the January 6 Capitol Riot?

As the anniversary of the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot approaches and lawmakers continue to investigate it, what are the riot's lasting impacts?

The House January 6 select committee is preparing to go public with its findings after collecting 35,000 pages of records on the riot, the rally that preceded it, and former President Donald Trump's efforts to discredit the result of the 2020 election. Meanwhile, a declining share of Republicans believe its important that those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 be prosecuted. The New York Times editorial board (Left bias) wrote over the weekend that the riot "continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form." National Review writer Jim Geraghty (Lean Right) criticized that argument, saying there's "no such thing as a bloodless, legalized riot" and accusing the Times’ editorial board of "obscuring instead of illuminating."

Voices across the spectrum typically condemn the riot, but left- and right-rated voices view the riot's impacts differently. Right-rated voices often argue that while perpetrators should be prosecuted, the House committee has politicized the law and left- and center-rated media outlets exaggerate the riot's effects. A Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) writer argued that the committee is working to hurt Trump's chances in the 2024 presidential election. Left-rated voices often say that Trump's continued relevance, Republican-led efforts to advance voting legislation and continued beliefs that the 2020 election was stolen show that the riot and its motivations continue to endanger democracy, and that Trump should be prosecuted.