Kamala Harris: January 6 and Election Security Laws Threaten U.S. Democracy

Vice President Kamala Harris warned the world that American democracy is under attack, citing the January 6 protest on Capitol Hill and election security laws as evidence.

Harris spoke at the conclusion of President Joe Biden’s virtual “Summit for Democracy,” during which she touted democracy as the best way to govern the world.

But she also warned of the threats that American democracy faced, referring to Republican political efforts.

“Here in the United States, we know that our democracy is not immune from threats. January 6 looms large in our collective conscience,” she said, condemning the 2020 election protest that grew violent on Capitol Hill.

The vice president also lamented the growth of “misinformation,” which, she said, was eroding trust in democratic institutions.

“Misinformation is undermining public confidence,” she said.

Harris also condemned as a threat to democracy recent election security laws Republicans passed after the 2020 elections.

“The anti-voter laws that many states have passed are part of an intentional effort to exclude Americans from participating in our democracy,” she said, promising a renewed executive effort to challenge the new rules.

Harris also promoted the importance of putting women in leadership roles in democracies.

“I strongly believe the status of women is the status of democracy,” she said. “The exclusion of women in decision-making is a marker of a flawed democracy.”