All Americans should agree that Republicans do not have a right to remain silent on this. Their constituents have a right to know where they stand on the most important issue confronting our democracy: acceptance of a peaceful transition of power following a free and fair election.

Their silence has cleared the field for lies.

Their silence helps explain why 45 percent of Republicans believe the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 was a political protest, protected by the First Amendment.

Doubletalk is serving the same purpose: When asked “Was January 6 legitimate political discourse?”, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — who maintained in January 2021 “there is nothing patriotic about what is happening on Capitol Hill. This is 3rd world style anti-American anarchy” — squirmed and changed the subject. After affirming what no one denies — that anyone who committed a crime should be prosecuted — Rubio slammed the Jan. 6 committee “as a partisan scam.”