Americans need to learn more about Jan. 6 attack

Two recent articles in The Baltimore Sun highlight apparent attempts to undermine the rule of law by former President Donald Trump (“Cheney: Trump contacted witness,” July 13) and by U.S. Rep Andy Harris (“Committee: Harris met with Trump to discuss election,” which was inexplicably relegated to page 7 of the July 13 print edition).

We owe gratitude for the methodical, outstanding — and no doubt exhausting — work of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6th attack on the United States Capitol. The committee has distinguished itself with the solemn and sober manner in which it has conducted its public hearings. As we are learning, our country has rarely faced a threat as great as that planned and prepared by Donald Trump and his collaborators. The committee’s hearings, presenting persuasive evidence methodically and without histrionics, will shine as points of honor in American history.

Over the course of the hearings, the committee has told a straightforward, consistent narrative that compellingly makes sense of many discrete bits of information the public has known, but only in isolated pieces.

As individual news items, many of these revelations suggested that the former president and his allies were mere clowns, comically unable to understand our government and the rule of law. Through the committee’s work, we now see that though all that remains true, these buffoons were — and apparently still are — deadly serious about overthrowing our democracy.

Great credit and thanks are due to the committee members and staff for what has surely been a monumental and difficult task, but one that is crucial to the survival of our republic. I urge The Sun to not only report in detail on the committee’s work, but to give it the front page prominence it deserves.