On the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, lawmakers and other high-profile politicians are penning remembrances, thank yous to law enforcement and stark warnings about the future of American democracy.

Perhaps the direst warning came from former President Jimmy Carter, who in an op-ed piece for The New York Times wrote that "our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss."

In his piece, Carter urged Americans to "set aside differences and work together before it is too late."

"Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy," Carter wrote for the Times.

In a Wednesday night appearance on MSNBC, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, blamed the riots on former President Donald Trump and the falsehoods he spread about widespread voter fraud.

"The root cause of January 6th is still with us today," Schumer tweeted. "It lives on through Trump's Big Lie that's undermining faith in our political system and making our democracy less safe. The Senate will take action to move forward on legislation to protect our democracy and the right to vote."

Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat who is currently one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington, penned a remembrance, echoing former President Franklin Roosevelt in calling Jan. 6 "a day that will live in infamy."

Manchin also thanked law enforcement and honored the officers who died days after the attack.

"America is always at her best when we focus on what we have in common and put our country above politics," Manchin wrote.

Stacey Abrams, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Georgia, tied her Jan. 6 remembrance with the issue of voting rights.

"Jan. 5 was democracy at its finest. Jan. 6 showed democracy in peril. Let me be clear: Insurrectionists did not and will never erase the voices of 2.3 million Georgians, a majority being voters of color, who exercised their power and delivered progress in the face of darkness," Abrams tweeted.

In referencing Jan. 5, Abrams was referring to Democrats picking up two Senate seats on a pair of runoff elections in Georgia the day before the Capitol riot. She also referenced a series of Republican-backed bills that passed in Georgia and other states following the riots that aim to limit access to the polls.

A deeply divided Congress is about to show the world a very unsettled view from the U.S. Capitol: Rather than a national crisis that pulls the country together, the deadly riot on Jan. 6, 2021, only seems to have pushed lawmakers further apart.

Some members are planning to mark the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection with a moment of silence. Others will spend the day educating Americans on the workings of democracy.

And still others don't think the deadliest domestic attack on Congress in the nation's history needs to be remembered at all.

Where they stand on remembrance can be largely attributed to their political party, a jarring discord that shows the country's lawmakers remain strikingly at odds over how to unify a torn nation.

The president who had been fairly and legitimately defeated, Donald Trump, told his followers to "fight like hell" to stop the certification of Joe Biden's election and said he would march with them to the Capitol, though he did not. The result was violence and mayhem that left five people dead in the immediate aftermath, hundreds facing charges and millions of dollars in property damage.

But the lack of bipartisan resolve to assign responsibility for the siege or acknowledge the threat it posed has eroded trust among lawmakers, turned ordinary legislative disputes into potential crises and left the door open for more violence after the next disputed election.

It all sets Congress adrift toward a gravely uncertain future: Did Jan. 6 bring the end of one era or the start of a new one?

"One thing that people should consider when thinking about Jan. 6 is ... people should think about the fragility of democracy," said Joanne Freeman, a professor of history and American studies at Yale, whose book "Field of Blood" chronicles violence and bloodshed in Congress in the years before the Civil War.

Seeing few historical parallels, Freeman warned, "We're at a moment where things that people have taken for granted about the working of a democratic politics can't be taken for granted anymore."

Map of Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection arrests:

The aftermath of Jan. 6 hangs heavy over snow-covered Capitol Hill, in the relationships that deepened between lawmakers who feared for their lives that day and those that have frayed beyond repair.

The Capitol, before the riot a symbol of the openness of American democracy, remains closed to most visitors in part because of the coronavirus pandemic public health concerns, but also because of the escalated number of violent threats against lawmakers. Representatives are required to pass through metal detectors because Democrats say they cannot trust their Republican colleagues not to bring firearms to the House during floor proceedings.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., said every time he leaves his office he scans the hallways for potential threats — a feeling he said that, as a Black American, is familiar, but one that he never expected as a member of Congress.

"The lack of freedom of movement — without fear — is not there at the Capitol. And I'm a member of Congress," Bowman said.

Bowman has asked Biden to declare Jan. 6 a National Day of Healing.

But Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a member of Republican leadership, has no plans to memorialize the day, and he doesn't think others should, either.

"This thing has already become way too politicized, and that would just further exacerbate it," he said.

Trump's false claims of voter fraud have continued to foment, met mostly with silence from Republicans in Congress unwilling to contradict his version of events.

Some two-thirds of House Republicans and more than a handful of GOP senators voted against certifying the election results that night, after police had battled the rioters for hours, sometimes in hand-to-hand combat. That the Republicans would carry on with their objections, after all that, stunned Democratic colleagues. Views hardened.

Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who went forward with efforts to block the certification after the riot, brushed off questions about it, saying he's talked about it enough.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said he had no second thoughts about his vote to block certification.

"I am proud of leading the effort to defend voter integrity," Cruz said. He decried the siege as "unacceptable," a "terrorist attack." But he also said the insistence by Democrats and the media of no mass voter fraud "only inflamed the divisions we have."

An investigation by The Associated Press found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.

Table of those arrested:

Unlike past national traumas — including the 2001 terror attacks — the country has emerged from Jan. 6 without an agreed upon road map for what comes next.

Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot whose New Jersey-area district recently marked the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, said people have repeatedly recalled "in these sort of bewildered tones" how united the country was that day — compared to now.

"It feels like a huge break from our history," Sherrill said.

The result is not just a breakdown in trust among colleagues, but also a loss of common national commitment to the rules and norms of democracy.

Routine disputes over ordinary issues in Congress can quickly devolve into menacing threats — as happened when several Republican lawmakers started receiving violent messages, including a death threat, after voting for an otherwise bipartisan infrastructure bill that Trump opposed.

The two Republicans on the House panel investigating the attack, Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, face calls to be banished from their party.

Despite dozens of court cases and published reports showing no widespread voter fraud, Trump's baseless claims have become the party standard and led to what some call a "slow-motion insurrection" as his supporters work the machinery of local elections in ways that are alarming voting rights advocates.

Democrats are redoubling efforts to approve stalled election legislation that seeks to bolster ballot access and protect election officials from harassment. But to pass the bill in the evenly split Senate, they are considering dramatic rules changes to overcome a Republican filibuster.

Many of Trump's supporters have argued they are the ones fighting to save democracy. Two-thirds of Americans described the siege as very or extremely violent, according to an AP-NORC poll, but only 4 in 10 Republicans recall the attack that way.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the false story that the election was rigged or stolen has just continued "to be spun and spun and spun."

She said, "The danger is when people act on it."

Yet unlike the hundreds of Americans being prosecuted for their roles in Jan. 6, many members of Congress face no reprimand — and could be rewarded for their actions.

Hawley and Cruz are both considered potential 2024 presidential candidates.

GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, who rushed to Mar-a-Lago to patch things up with Trump after initially being critical of the insurrection, remains on track to become the next House speaker if Republicans — with Trump's help — win control in the November election.

And GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has seen her profile — and fundraising — skyrocket as she shares Trump's baseless theories and decries the treatment of defendants jailed for their role in the attack.

"We're in this no man's land, where basically anything goes, and that's a very unsettling place to be in a legislative body," said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. "And it's really a very unsettling place for the country to be."

___

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.

This week marks the end of another long and busy year in the world of news.

2021 was a year filled with political turmoil and extreme weather events, with the specter of the coronavirus constantly lingering in the background.

But 2021 also showed the best of humanity — people coming together to uplift others when times got tough.

Re-live some of the biggest moments from 2021 in the timeline below.

Jan. 6 — Supporters of President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol as Congress certifies presidential election results. Five people died in the riots, and a week later, Trump would be impeached for the second time in his only term in office.

Jan. 20 — Under increased security in Washington, Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.

Feb. 13 — Trump is acquitted in the impeachment trial stemming from his actions amid Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. Seven Republican senators voted to convict Trump, though he easily avoids conviction by a total of 10 votes.

Feb. 13 to Feb. 17 — Winter storms cause weeklong power outages in Texas, killing more than 200 people.

Feb. 18 — In a heart-pounding and gripping landing sequence, NASA rover Perseverance completes its 300 million mile journey by successfully landing on Mars.

March 16 — A gunman kills eight people — including six Asian women — at several Atlanta-area spas. The shootings draw more attention to rising instances of hate crimes against people in the AAPI community that began with the arrival of COVID-19 in 2020.

April 11 — Police officer Kim Potter fatally shoots motorist Daunte Wright in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, sparking protests. In December, that officer, Kim Potter, would be convicted of two counts of manslaughter.

April 15 — Daily COVID-19 vaccinations peak in the U.S. as age restrictions are lifted. The daily vaccination rate would dip in the summer, but begin to rise in the later months of 2021 as boosters are approved and mandates go into effect.

April 20 — Ex-officer Derek Chauvin is convicted of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis. Floyd's death in 2020 sparked months of protests against police brutality and systemic racism; activists greet Chauvin's conviction with cheers.

May 6 — Hackers shut down Colonial Gasoline Pipeline with a ransomware attack, leading to gas shortages in some regions. The hack is the highest-profile ransomware attack in a year that saw a disturbing increase in such incidents.

June — Delta variant arrives in the U.S., spelling the start of a summer surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the delta variant would cause a steady rise in cases and deaths starting in June, leading to a peak in early September.

June 24 — A condo tower collapses in Surfside, Florida, killing 98 people.

Aug. 10 — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces his resignation amid sexual harassment allegations. He announced his resignation a week after New York AG Letitia James published a damming report that spelled out several workplace harassment and sexual harassment charges against Cuomo.

Aug. 30 — The last U.S. troops leave Afghanistan, marking the end of America's longest war. The withdrawal grew chaotic in the final weeks after the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan fell to the Taliban.

Sept. 1 — A controversial "fetal heartbeat bill" takes effect in Texas that bans nearly all abortions in the state. The newly-conservative Supreme Court later declines to take action to pause the law while lower courts sort out lawsuits levied in an attempt to stop it.

Oct. 18 — Former Sec. of State Colin Powell dies of COVID-19 at the age of 84.

Nov. 5 — Ten people die, and hundreds are injured in a crushing crowd at Travis Scott's Astroworld music festival in Houston.

Nov. 19 — Kyle Rittenhouse is acquitted of all charges stemming from fatal shootings that took place in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Rittenhouse was just 17 at the time of the shooting and not legally allowed to own a gun, but jurors determined he acted in self-defense.

Nov. 24 — Three Georgia men are convicted of the 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was out for a jog in his hometown of Brunswick, Georgia. The men had accused Arbery of a series of break-ins in the area; jurors determine the men were not justified to detain Arbery on the grounds of a since-repealed citizen's arrest law.

Dec. 10 — Tornadoes kill dozens of people in western Kentucky and surrounding states.

Dec. 11 — A day after losing his home in those Kentucky tornadoes, Jordan Baize inspires millions across the country by playing "There's Something About That Name" on his family piano, which survived the storms.

Dec. 23 — Kim Potter is convicted of manslaughter from the April shooting of Daunte Wright.

Dec. 29 — Ghislaine Maxwell is convicted of sex trafficking charged linked to her involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.

The congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol issued subpoenas for five more people on Monday.

Those subpoenaed include Roger Stone, Alex Jones, Taylor Budowich, Jennifer Lawrence, and Dustin Stockton.

In a letter to Stone, the committee notes that he spoke at rallies in support of Trump's election lies.

The committee also details press reports that say Alex Jones helped organize the rally that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"Mr. Jones has stated that he was told by the White House that he was to lead a march from the January 6th Ellipse rally to the Capitol, where President Trump would meet the group and speak," the committee stated.

The committee is seeking documents and testimony related to the event.

Rep. Liz Cheney, co-chair of the committee, previously said it has already interviewed 150 people as part of its investigation.

WASHINGTON —

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to a former Justice Department lawyer who positioned himself as an ally of Donald Trump and aided the Republican president's efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election.

The subpoena to Jeffrey Clark, revealed Wednesday, came amid signs of a rapidly escalating congressional inquiry. At least three of the people who were involved in organizing and running the rally that preceded the violent riot have handed over documents in response to subpoenas from the committee.

The demands for documents and testimony from Clark reflect the committee's efforts to probe not only the deadly insurrection but also the tumult that roiled the Justice Department in the weeks leading up to it as Trump and his allies leaned on government lawyers to advance his baseless claims that the election results were fraudulent. Trump loyalists stormed the Capitol in an effort to disrupt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory

Clark, an assistant attorney general in the Trump administration, has emerged as a pivotal character in that saga. A Senate committee report issued last week shows how he championed Trump's efforts to undo the election results inside the Justice Department and clashed as a result with superiors who resisted the pressure, culminating in a dramatic White House meeting at which Trump floated the idea of elevating Clark to attorney general.

"The Select Committee's investigation has revealed credible evidence that you attempted to involve the Department of Justice in efforts to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power," the chairman of the committee, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, wrote in a letter to Clark announcing the subpoena.

While Trump ultimately did not appoint Clark acting attorney general, Clark's "efforts risked involving the Department of Justice in actions that lacked evidentiary foundation and threatened to subvert the rule of law," Thompson added.

The committee has scheduled a deposition for Oct. 29 and demanded documents by the same date. A lawyer for Clark declined to comment.

The Jan. 6 panel has so far sought testimony from a broad cast of witnesses, but its demands of Trump aides and associates are potentially complicated by Trump's vow to fight their cooperation on grounds of executive privilege.

Already one witness, Steve Bannon, has told the committee that he will not cooperate based on Trump's directive, though the committee has said it was "engaging" with two other Trump officials — former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Defense Department official Kashyap Patel. It is also unclear whether Dan Scavino, Trump's longtime social media director and one of his most loyal aides, will cooperate.

Biden formally rejected Trump's claim of executive privilege surrounding a tranche of documents requested from the former president's time in the White House, and set up their potential release to Congress in mid-November. White House counsel Dana Remus wrote to the National Archives in a letter released Wednesday that Biden believes that "an assertion of executive privilege is not in the best interests of the United States."

Others, though, are cooperating, including some of the 11 who organized or staffed the Trump rally that preceded the riot. They were given a Wednesday deadline to turn over documents and records, and have also been asked to appear at separate depositions the committee has scheduled beginning this month.

Among those responding to the Wednesday deadline was Lyndon Brentnall, whose firm was hired to provide event security that day. "All the documents and communications requested by the subpoena were handed in," he told The Associated Press.

Brentnall had previously said his firm had "every intention" of complying with the select committee. "As far as we're concerned, we ran security at a legally permitted event run in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service and the Park Police," he said.

Two longtime Trump campaign and White House staffers, Megan Powers and Hannah Salem, who were listed on the Jan 6. rally permit as "operations manager for scheduling and guidance" and "operations manager for logistics and communications," have also provided documents or are planning to do so.

Powers, who served as the Trump reelection campaign's director of operations, intends to provide the requested documentation and to meet with the committee — though it remains unclear what form such meetings will take, according to a person familiar with her response who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Many of the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 marched up the National Mall after attending at least part of Trump's rally, where he had repeated his meritless claims of election fraud and implored the crowd to "fight like hell."

The results of the election were confirmed by state officials and upheld by the courts. Trump's own attorney general, William Barr, had said the Justice Department found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have overturned the results.

It remains unclear whether the others who were subpoenaed intend to cooperate. A committee spokesperson declined to comment Wednesday on the responses it had received and how many of the 11 were complying.

Members of the committee, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the panel's Republican vice chairwoman, have threatened to pursue criminal contempt charges against subpoenaed witnesses who refuse to comply. A House vote would send those charges to the Department of Justice, which would then decide whether to prosecute.

The subpoena to Clark follows the release of a Senate Judiciary Committee report that documented extraordinary tensions within the senior ranks of the Justice Department in December and January as Trump and his allies prodded the law enforcement agency to help him in undoing the election.

The report from the committee's Democratic majority depicts Clark as a relentless advocate inside the building for Trump's efforts, even presenting colleagues with a draft letter pushing Georgia officials to convene a special legislative session on the election results. Clark wanted the letter sent, but superiors at the Justice Department refused.

"We need to understand Mr. Clark's role in these efforts at the Justice Department and learn who was involved across the administration," Thompson wrote.

Two additional organizers, Ali Alexander and Nathan Martin, as well as their "Stop the Steal" organization, were also subpoenaed for documents, which are due Oct. 21.

Alexander wrote in a Telegram post Monday that the committee was "subpoenaing people in bad faith."

"So maybe this Select Committee is bogus?" he added. "Everyone is waiting to see what I'll do."

__

Colvin reported from New York and Smith from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Anger and grief are some of the many emotions Americans are processing after witnessing the attack on our Capitol. Fixated on live news footage unfolding on television, people around the world saw images that will live on for generations.

“It was definitely an emotional feeling. To the point where I guess, like most people, I was glued to my television," said Diane Jones Lowrey, senior director of community partnerships at Common Sense Media.

The nonprofit helps parents and educators navigate the digital world with kids. Like adults, they're also trying to make sense of what happened in D.C.

“The pandemic, the racial strike we’ve had throughout the year; there’s been so many times that we’ve had to help parents have these difficult conversations. But we think this one is a little different," aid Jones Lowrey. "Because it truly is touching on the foundation of our democracy.”

Jones Lowrey wrote a blog post with tools to help parents and educators navigate conversations with children about this moment in history.

“It’s challenging for me as an adult, as a mom, to have this conversation.”

But there are strategies to help start the conversation with children of all ages.

“It really is about where they are in their development," she said.

For the youngest kids, Jones Lowrey recommends limiting or eliminating exposure to the media, as they aren't yet fully able to understand complex situations. She says kids in this age group oftentimes can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality.

But she recognizes limiting media exposure is not always possible and young children may hear about the news from siblings or friends.

“What you really want to do with the youngest kids is give them a sense of confidence and assurance that it's not really going to impact them, and that they’re safe, and that their family is safe," said Jones Lowrey.

She says children 8 to 12 understand what’s going on but may not comprehend specific details.

“Ask them, what are you feeling, what did you see, and what did you hear? And hear it through their eyes, hear it through their voice.”

It can also be helpful to ask how their friends are feeling, as they're likely talking to each other about the news.

Jones Lowrey says teenagers are usually very aware of what's going on and are likely getting most of their information online and from social media.

“The older you get, the more critical you need to be about the media you consume."

She recommends giving them a space to express how they feel without judgment and ask questions to help them think critically. These are some suggestions given in her blog post:

• What are you seeing on social media or the news about the events in the Capitol?
• How do you feel about what you see?
• Whose perspective is being featured?
• Whose voices are missing?

She also says to always look for teachable moments, from our democratic process to the suspension of President Trump’s social media accounts.

“Because there are consequences for the words that you say.”

She says families should also pay attention to how much news they're consuming, and that there's value in pulling away from our televisions and phones.

Another free resource for educators, an online course created by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence: Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress. The 10-hour online course is designed for school staff, including teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, principals, and non-teaching staff in preK-12 schools.

While the violence may be dominating our screens, Jones Lowrey says it’s important to show children the whole picture.

“The perseverance of our lawmakers to come back and finish the job they started," recalled Jones Lowrey. “That, I think, shows hope to our kids. And that’s, I think, a story I think we can tell to them.”

Common Sense has more resources online to help parents talk with kids on this issue, as well as others like the pandemic and race relations in America.

WASHINGTON— In the shadow of a fortified Capitol, a few hundred demonstrators have turned up in Washington to support those charged in January’s riot, but they were vastly outnumbered by the media and a heavy police presence.

U.S. Capitol Police were taking no chances, with hundreds of officers brought into Washington in an effort to avoid a repeat of the pre-inauguration attack.

The fence around the Capitol was put back up, the city police force was fully activated and Capitol Police requested assistance from the National Guard.

There were a few scuffles as the rally started around noon Saturday and one person was arrested for carrying a knife, but no major incidents were reported early on.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York City will terminate business contracts with President Donald Trump after last week's insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

"New York City doesn't do business with insurrectionists," de Blasio tweeted Wednesday morning.

The Trump Organization is under city contract to operate the two ice rinks and a carousel in Central Park and a golf course in the Bronx.

According to de Blasio, the City is looking to terminate contracts with the Wollman and Lasker skating rinks at Central Park and the Ferry Point Golf Course.

De Blasio says the Trump Organization profits about $17 million a year from those sites.

“The President incited a rebellion against the United States government that killed five people and threatened to derail the constitutional transfer of power," de Blasio said in a press release. "The City of New York will not be associated with those unforgivable acts in any shape, way, or form, and we are immediately taking steps to terminate all Trump Organization contracts."

According to the press release, the carousel is currently closed, and termination of that contract would go into effect 25 days after the City's termination notice is received.

The City would terminate the agreement for the two ice rinks in Central Park after 30 days' written notice, de Blasio stated in the media release.

The mayor added that process for terminating the contract for the golf course is more detailed “and is expected to take a number of months.”

According to de Blasio, a contract can legally be terminated by the City if a company's leadership is engaged in criminal activity, The Associated Press reported.

A Trump Organization spokesperson said the City can't cancel the contracts and the company will "fight vigorously."

It is the latest example of how the Jan. 6 breach by violent Trump supporters is impacting the Republican president's business interests.

On Sunday, the PGA announced that they are moving the PGA Championship from Trump's golf course in New Jersey next year.

Germany's biggest bank, Deutsche Bank, decided not to do business with Trump and his company, to who he owes more than $300 million, which is set to be due in the next coming years.

Signature Bank in New York said they are closing two personal accounts.

Two-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Klete Keller was charged in U.S. District Court in the D.C. Wednesday for his alleged participation in the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol last week.

According to a criminal complaint, Keller was charged with obstructing law enforcement, knowingly entering or remaining in a restricting building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

According to court documents, the FBI used Keller's height, his Colorado driver's license photo, and his Team USA jacket's visibility in videos to positively identify him.

In a video posted by Townhall reporter Julio Rosas, which was first reported by SwimSwam and The New York Times, Keller allegedly appears in the video as the tall, bearded man wearing a Team USA jacket inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

According to SwimSwam, former teammates and coaches were able to identify Keller from videos shown online.

The Times also reported that they received numerous identifications on Keller.

On Wednesday, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland released a statement before Keller's charges were filed in response to Keller's alleged involvement in the Capitol riots.

"First off, I strongly condemn the actions of the rioters at the U.S. Capitol," Hirshland said in a statement posted to Twitter.

Hirshland added that those actions go against the committee's values.

"At home, and around the world, Team USA athletes are held to a very high standard as they represent our country on the field of play and off," Hirshland said. "What happened in Washington, D.C., was a case where that standard was clearly not met."

According to CBS Sports, Keller, 38, has deleted his social media accounts.

A woman in Texas facing charges in connection with the riots at the U.S. Capitol has asked a federal judge for permission to vacation in Mexico.

According to court records, Jenny Cudd told the judge that the four-day trip this month is a "work-related bonding retreat" to Mexico's Riviera Maya from Feb. 18-21, USA Today reported.

According to court documents, Cudd, a small business owner from Midland, Texas, faces misdemeanor charges of knowingly entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds,

According to court documents, Cudd was arrested on Jan. 12 after federal agents caught wind of her posting statements on social media and boasting in a TV interview about being at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

She was released on her own recognizance, according to USA Today.

Cudd’s next court appearance is on Thursday and she's been ordered to stay away from nation's capital except for matters related to her case, the Seattle Times reported.

The judge has not issued a response to her request.

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed a bill Wednesday awarding congressional gold medals to Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers who responded to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

"I know how fortunate we are to have the bravery, the patriotism of our Capitol Police. They are so remarkable," Pelosi said. "I'm so sad it took a tragedy of this nature for the recognition to be given to them."

The Senate passed the bill Tuesday without any objections. The bill passed the House in June, with 21 House Republicans voting against the measure.

Four officers testified before Congress last week about what they faced on the day of the insurrection.

"I feel like I went to hell and back to protect them and the people in this room," MPD Officer Michael Fanone said. "But now I'm being told that hell doesn't exist, or hell wasn't that bad."

Since the attack, four officers have died by suicide, and hundreds of others have to live with the emotional wounds from that terrifying day.

“Awarding the Congressional Gold Medal is a way to commemorate their sacrifice and make sure that the truth of Jan. 6 is recognized and remembered forever,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said upon passing the bill.

Two congressional hearings on Capitol Hill Thursday will explore cases of domestic terrorism and the growing threat it poses in the U.S.

In the House of Representatives, the Oversight and Reform Committee will host two senior Trump administration officials who plan to defend their actions during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller plans to say he stands behind every decision he made that day.

In prepared testimony obtained by The Associated Press, Miller says he was concerned before the insurrection that sending troops to the building could fan fears of a military coup and cause a repeat of the Vietnam-era shootings at Kent State that killed four students.

Former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen will also testify before the House Oversight Committee.

Meanwhile, in a hearing held in the Senate by the Appropriations Committee will examine the more general threat posed the rise in domestic extremism poses to the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas are expected to participate in that hearing.

In March, the New York Times reported that an intelligence report delivered to Congress warned of the rising threat of domestic terrorism from militias and white supremacists in the U.S.

While there were several reports of violence from left-wing groups and antifacists in 2020, an October report from the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) found that the majority of domestic terror attacks were connected to far-right groups.

Wednesday’s hearings will take place at the Capitol just months after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the building in deadly riots in an attempt to stop the electoral college certification of now-President Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election.