South Florida Lawmakers Weigh In One Year Since January 6 Capitol Insurrection

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A year ago today, a mob of people forced its way inside the U.S. Capitol Building. It was an attempt to disrupt the presidential transfer of power as rioters stormed the grounds, pushing their way past barricades and police.

"What happened at the United States Capitol can't be defended or justified.  Everybody responsible for it should be prosecuted for the crimes that were committed," said Sen. Marco Rubio.

"I was in the hall when the first text came through from Capitol Police telling us there was a security breech and we needed to rush to our office and take cover," said U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch.

Congressman Deutch spent hours locked inside his office in the Capitol building, hoping he'd stay safe from the mob outside his door.

"We were instructed to turn out the lights, silence our electronics and stay away from windows," he said.

Now, a year later, local leaders are weighing in on what happened that day and the ongoing investigation.

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart released the following statement:

"January 6, 2021, will be remembered as a tragic day in our nation's history that we can never allow to happen again. Sadly, one year later, because of Speaker Pelosi's hubris and incompetence, the American people are not any closer to having answers about what led to the catastrophic security failure that jeopardized and even cost innocent lives. Despite their rhetoric, House Democratic Leadership has done the bare minimum to secure the Capitol and ensure our Capitol Police officers have the necessary resources to do their job. One year later, more than 130 officers have left the department, marking a nearly 400-officer shortage from the Capitol Police authorized level. One year later, we still lack effective security enhancements and infrastructure, personnel, and training to keep the Capitol campus safe from future attacks. One year later, and instead of working proactively to seek justice and enhance security, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have focused their time and wasted taxpayer dollars on going after their political rivals and getting media hits. Since House Democratic Leadership took control of the House, there has been an undeniable pattern of incompetence that has shone through every aspect of their policies, and the aftermath of January 6, 2021, is no different. On the anniversary of this attack, I remain exceedingly grateful for the bravery and sacrifice of our Capitol Police officers and all other law enforcement agencies who go beyond the call of duty to keep us safe and protected. The American people and Congress deserve answers, and it is way past time for Speaker Pelosi to put politics aside and focus on reaching real, much-needed solutions to secure our nation's Capital."

Maria Elvira Salazar gave CBS4 this statement:

"The events on January 6th, 2021 were unacceptable and should have never happened. Congressional members and staff, our Capitol Police, and the American people deserve to know the truth about how these riots unfolded.

"Unfortunately, instead of empowering law enforcement and uncovering the facts through an impartial investigation, House Democrats have exploited this stain on our democracy for political gain. Under Speaker Pelosi's guidance, the House Sergeant at Arms and Chief Administration Officer have refused to share documents relating to the Capitol's security preparedness on January 6th with House Republicans. The safety and security of the Capitol complex should not be a partisan issue.

"I condemned the riots on January 6th, and I continue to condemn them today. Such a tragic attack on our democracy should never be used for political profit. Americans deserve better."

Congressman Carlos Gimenez also calls the investigation highly politicized, blaming House Democrats. He released this statement to CBS4:

"The events that occurred on January 6th last year were tragic and they cannot be allowed to ever happen again. For that reason, I supported the original bipartisan commission to investigate the attack. That commission gave Republicans an equal voice at the table with Republicans needing to approve all subpoenas before they can be issued. Both Republicans and Democrats also had to agree on the final version of the report before it is released, guaranteeing the commission would be a legitimate mechanism for those questions on Capitol Police's vulnerabilities to be answered.

"It's unfortunate that Speaker Pelosi has decided to buck the intent of the original bipartisan commission and instead create an illegitimate, highly politicized process. She has unilaterally vetoed the 5 Members of Congress appointed by Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy to sit on the new commission. She has focused the commission's attention away from addressing the collapse of the chain of command at the Capitol, the deficiencies in resources Capitol Police had at their disposition to deter and prevent an attack on the Capitol, and instead has focused on going after members of the Trump Administration. As a result, we are no safer today than we were a year ago.

"We still have legitimate questions that need to be addressed surrounding Capitol Police and the security put in place to secure the People's House. In America, we settle social and political disagreements through rigorous debate and acts of democracy. We are a nation of laws, justice, order, and process. What we saw last year on Capitol Hill was not a peaceful protest, but an act of mob violence against this sacred institution.

"It's time for Speaker Pelosi and this Congress to focus the efforts on making sure this never happens again. Whether we're talking about a mob attack on the Capitol, unspeakable acts of violence against schools, shopping malls, and places of worship, or the looting and burning down of people's livelihoods in cities across America, we must give law enforcement the tools and resources they need to deter, stop, and eliminate security threats against the American people. That is the real battle we face."

Sen. Marco Rubio taking to Twitter early this morning, condemning the violence that happened and pointing the finger at the other party.

"The only answer is a federal takeover of our elections to make sure democrats are in charge of government forever.  That's what today is about for them, politics," said Rubio.

CBS4's Ashley Dyer asked Florida's two senators and all of South Florida's Republican members of the House for interviews, but none would speak with her or answer her questions.

"There are unfortunately people continuing to make up stories about what actually happened instead of recognizing the assault on our democracy," said Deutch.

Congressman Deutch calls January 6 a dark day in our country's history, but said despite the tragedy, there was also hope.

"What we have to focus on when we think about that day is not just the violence and the attack but the way that day ended which is with members of congress coming back into the Capitol even after that assault to do their job and ensure the peaceful transition of power," he said.