(FreedomBeacon.com)- Former President Jimmy Carter chimed in on the status of America on the anniversary of the attacks on the Capitol building on January 6, saying all Americans need to come together amid the huge political division in the U.S. “before it is too late.”
In a guest essay published in The New York Times, Carter wrote:
“Our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss. Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. American must set aside differences and work together before it is too late.
“All four of us former presidents condemned their actions and affirmed the legitimacy of the 2020 election.”
Carter was referencing the four former U.S. presidents who are still alive, besides Donald Trump. In addition to himself, Carter was referring to Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and Republican George W. Bush.
Carter continued:
“There followed a brief hope that the insurrection would shock the nation into addressing the toxic polarization that threatens our democracy. However, one year on, promoters of the lie that the election was stolen have taken over one political party and stoked distrust in our electoral systems.”
Carter reiterated how important it was for the future of American democracy that it depend on demanding “that our leaders and candidates uphold the ideals of freedom and adhere to high standards of conduct.”
He was, very clearly, attacking Trump and his allies in Washington with that last statement.
Carter’s aim throughout the essay was to urge all Americans to come to agreement on the principles of the constitution, to be fair to each other, and to have respect for the law of the land while pushing for various reforms that would ensure that all future elections are both accessible and accurate.
He further asked the public to continue to condemn any violence and polarization throughout the country, and to work to counter disinformation being spread.
The essay Carter penned was one of various public comments from prominent current and former politicians on the one-year anniversary of the attacks on the U.S. Capitol building on January 6.
That day, supporters of Trump stormed the building to try to stop the certification of the presidential election results from 2020 that determined that Democrat Joe Biden had defeated Trump. The former president had claimed through that day — and to this day — that the election was stolen from him, and that Congress should not certify the results of the Electoral College.
Since then, the Department of Justice in the Biden administration has worked hard to prosecute many people who breached security at the Capitol building and committed various crimes.
On Wednesday, Merrick Garland, the attorney general, said the DOJ has charged more than 700 people for their roles in the January 6 attack. He further said the DOJ “remains committed to holding all January 6 perpetrators at any level accountable under law.”