Matt Ortega, Democratic candidate for California’s 14th Congressional District, issued the following statement on the fifth anniversary of the attempted coup on January 6, 2021.

January 6 was one of the darkest days in American history and it was all based on a lie.

The principal architects of an attempted overthrow of our democratically-elected government not only escaped genuine accountability, its leader was returned to power by way of election.

Make no mistake. The coup is ongoing. Their campaign to overthrow American democracy is still in motion. His return is marked by a fascist repression and weakening of the foundations of American democracy. We are, at present, in a perpetual state of national emergency. Not from foreign invaders or a natural disaster but from our very own government.

State violence against U.S. citizens and immigrants of all statuses. Denial of due process. Perversion of the justice system to persecute political opponents. Unconstitutional assumption of powers reserved for Congress. Threats to longtime allies. Foreign conflicts where business interest supersedes congressional authorization.

Difficult days lay ahead. Those struggles pale in comparison to the harsh futures of our children if we do nothing. I act because America is an idea. It cannot be overthrown. It cannot be deported. It lives on.

Why do I have hope? It lay with the American people. Folks who see their wallets tighten, their children’s futures worsen, and they refuse to accept it. And why should they? We’re Americans.