Sen. Amy Klobuchar remains haunted by what happened on Jan.6

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar remains¹ haunted by what happened on Jan.6

Transcript²

NPR's Rachel Martin talks with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the latest on the investigation³ and action by Congress.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Tomorrow marks one year since a mob of Trump⁴ supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in an effort to overturn the 2020 election. Many of them believed a lie that the election had been stolen for Joe Biden, a lie promoted on far-right news outlets⁵, social media and by then-President Trump. The images of that day - of U.S. Capitol Police being attacked, the seat of American government being overrun - they're hard to forget. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota was, of course, in the Capitol on January 6, certifying⁶ the election along with her Senate colleagues. I asked her what sticks in her mind from that day one year later.

AMY KLOBUCHAR: What I remember the most is late, late in the evening - actually, the next day, 3:30 a.m. - when Senator Blunt, who's the Republican lead with me on the Rules Committee, and Vice⁷ President Pence, just the three of us - we were the only ones left in the Senate chamber⁸ - with the two young women with the mahogany box with the last of the electoral ballots⁹ up to Wyoming, walked that corridor to the House to finish our job. There was glass broken all around us. There was spray-painted statues. And just that morning, we'd had a joyful¹⁰ walk to start the day, which should be a celebration of our democracy. And that's how it ended. But I do remember that sense of pride that we had finished our job and we had certified¹¹ those votes. And President Biden and Vice President Harris were declared the victor, as they should have been.

MARTIN: Are we now, a year later, any closer to having a full picture of what happened on January 6, do you think?

KLOBUCHAR: We are. We've had hundreds and hundreds of prosecutions¹² out of the Justice Department. We have a major investigation going on in the House with support from courageous¹³ Republicans like Liz Cheney. And we have the work that we did in the Senate that I led with Senators Portman and Senator Blunt and Senator Peters which actually looked at the security. We've made pretty dramatic changes there - with a whole new group of people leading, our police Sergeant¹⁴ at Arms, new bill passed, making it easier for the police chief to call in the National Guard, better sharing of intelligence.

Because always the haunting words that I think of when I look at our police and all they went through that day was the one officer in the squad¹⁵ car that said over the radio, does anyone have a plan? Does anyone have a plan? And the answer was no. So all of those things - getting to the bottom of what happened, improving our security and then, of course, carrying on the fight for democracy by passing voting rights legislation - that should be the legacy¹⁶ of that day.

MARTIN: You're holding a hearing with U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger today. He took the job last year after the previous chief resigned after the January 6 attack. What do you want to know from Thomas Manger?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, the first will be going through all of the recommendations that we made because our job is oversight¹⁷, and we need accountability. We have put forth¹⁸ major supplemental funding, and one of the things that just is horrifying¹⁹ and should be put public is that 75% of the officers on duty that day were forced to defend the Capitol in their regular uniforms. In some places, the insurrectionists had more protective gear on than the police officers did. So that has to change.

But I'm going to push him on two things. One is the increasing threats against Congress, which coincides with the attacks on our election. They've doubled, tripled up to over 8,000 threats in a year. And the second is about the need to hire officers, something that's plaguing police departments across the country. And he is, I know, taking measures with retention²⁰ bonuses and regional recruiting and the like to do that. But we are down hundreds of officers in the Capitol.

MARTIN: A recent NPR poll found that 64% of Americans believe that democracy in this country is, quote, "in crisis and at risk of failing." Now, those are Democrats²¹ and Republicans, self-identified, and they think this for very different reasons.

KLOBUCHAR: Yes.

MARTIN: I mean, Republicans think this because of a lie about the election being stolen. Democrats fear a repeat of January 6. How do you see this moment in American history?

KLOBUCHAR: I'm not going to concede that our democracy is going to fail because I have too much faith in the people of this country. And I certainly saw that that night after the horror of the insurrection, when actually over 90 of the senators voted to uphold the Electoral College. I saw it two weeks later under that beautiful blue sky when leaders of both parties stood out there on that inaugural²² stage with the beautiful words of Amanda Gorman.

But right now, we have a continuing attack on our democracy. And what was, on January 6, a bayonets and bear spray is now over 400 bills introduced to make it harder for people to vote. As Bob Dole²³ once said, no first-class democracy can treat people like second-class citizens. He said that in reference to civil rights legislation. Well, it's the same thing today. So I truly see this as the work - in addition to getting to the bottom of everything that happened and holding people accountable at every level, there must be work to protect the democracy. And that's why it's such a priority for many of us to pass our bill, the Freedom to Vote Act.

MARTIN: What happens if former President Trump decides to run? What happens if he gets the nomination²⁴? How do you confront the disinformation that will inevitably²⁵ come about the 2020 election?

KLOBUCHAR: Americans rejected Donald Trump in the last election. And while we know he has a strong following - you see it at rallies and the like - we also know that there are a whole bunch of people, including many in his own party, that did reject him, including independents all over this country. And I have faith that that will continue. But part of a democracy is putting out your policies, of making the case to the American people how you stand by them - their side.

And I always go back to Georgia and what happened there in the Senate race because Donald Trump full on took on their elections, right? He took on their, even, Republican election official, and the people of Georgia responded. They said, no, we don't agree with you. They elected, against all odds²⁶, two Democratic senators after he, time and time again, went after their election in Georgia. And I thought, given that that's Georgia, that's a good sign of what's going to happen to this guy if he continues this assault on our democracy.

MARTIN: Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, we appreciate your time. Senator, thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: Well, thank you very much.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 certifying   

（尤指书面）证明( certify的现在分词 )； 发证书给…； 证明（某人）患有精神病； 颁发（或授予）专业合格证书

参考例句：

• Signed Commercial in quintuplicate, certifying merchandise to be of Chinese origin. 签署商业发票一式五份，证明产品的原产地为中国。
• Other documents certifying the truthfulness of the contents of the advertisements. （三）确认广告内容真实性的其他证明文件。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

9 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

11 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

12 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

13 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

14 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

15 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

16 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

17 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

18 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

19 horrifying   

a.令人震惊的，使人毛骨悚然的

参考例句：

• He went to great pains to show how horrifying the war was. 他极力指出战争是多么的恐怖。
• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate. 战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。

20 retention   

n.保留，保持，保持力，记忆力

参考例句：

• They advocate the retention of our nuclear power plants.他们主张保留我们的核电厂。
• His retention of energy at this hour is really surprising.人们惊叹他在这个时候还能保持如此旺盛的精力。

21 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

23 dole   

n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给

参考例句：

• It's not easy living on the dole.靠领取失业救济金生活并不容易。
• Many families are living on the dole since the strike.罢工以来，许多家庭靠失业救济金度日。

24 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

25 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

26 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？