On January 6, Vice President Mike Pence oversaw the long-awaited joint session of Congress to nationally certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory over outgoing President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.
The proceedings followed Trump's months-long smear campaign against the American electoral process, where Trump lied that widespread election fraud orchestrated by Democrats delivered Biden a false victory.
As the session continued, Trump addressed a rally of his supporters urging them to "fight" for him or they wouldn't "have a country" anymore. He then urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and make their views known.
As history will remember, these supporters went on to storm the Capitol, forcing Pence and other lawmakers to evacuate as they infiltrated the Senate chamber.
The pro-Trump extremists shattered windows, ransacked offices, smeared excrement across the walls, stole property, and called for the hanging of the Vice President. They even erected a gallows outside.
The unprecedented domestic terrorism unleashed on the Capitol resulted in the deaths of at least five people.
One of those people was Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, a supporter of Trump who responded to the riots and was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher by the pro-Trump extremists.
Though Pence called Sicknick's family to offer condolences, the President has not done so, nor has he issued a public statement of condolence for any of the lives lost that day.
Until Sunday, the White House flag had not even been lowered to half staff to commemorate Sicknick's death and the dark day for American democracy.
Now, First Lady Melania Trump has issued a statement regarding the deaths sparking from the Trump Riots.
“We must listen to one another, focus on what unites us, and rise above what divides us."
First lady Melania Trump says that she is “disappointed and disheartened" by the deadly riot at the Capitol last week by supporters of her husband. https://t.co/bHacKKW8EP pic.twitter.com/DOtmVe8iyx
— ABC News (@ABC) January 11, 2021
Without differentiating dead officers from dead rioters, the First Lady said her "heart goes out to" those who died at the Capitol, including Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by law enforcement while trying to infiltrate the Speakers' gallery through a broken window.
The First Lady continued, condemning the "salacious gossip" and "unwarranted personal attacks" she suffered throughout the insurrection:
"I find it shameful that surrounding these tragic events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me – from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda. This time is solely about healing our country and its citizens. It should not be used for personal gain."
The Daily Mail reported that, during the riots, staffers "begged" Melania Trump to intercede with the President to issue a public statement of condemnation, though he was reportedly gleeful at seeing the chaos he unleashed on the Capitol.
The First Lady, reportedly occupied with a photo shoot in the East Wing, would not do so. Shortly after the riots, the First Lady's top aide and former White House Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham, resigned.
People were amazed that, as the nation continues to reel from the historic tragedy, Melania Trump devoted a paragraph of her statement to decry gossip about her.
Twitter users condemned the self absorption as rampant throughout the Trump sphere.
The House of Representatives is moving to impeach Trump for his role in inciting the riots.
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