Rep. Curtis Opens Up About Threats Ahead Of More Planned Protests

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Several downtown businesses have boarded their windows and many post office dropoff boxes have been removed as a precaution as President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration nears and in the aftermath of the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Jan. 6 was a moment Americans won’t forget, and a moment Rep. John Curtis was right there for.

“They brought with them what was needed, ropes, and the things they battered the doors down with,” said Curtis.

Like all elected officials and staff, Curtis had to evacuate that day.

Protesters, rioters and agitators had gotten into the U.S. Capitol and were looking for lawmakers.

“It seems to be as we’re finding out more and more, that we escaped a much larger tragedy just narrowly,” said Curtis.

Email, phone call, attending a town hall meeting, I promise there are better ways to voice your opinions with our office. https://t.co/uK0xrb6lV7

— Rep. John Curtis (@RepJohnCurtis) January 14, 2021

With word that more protests are planned for this week in Washington before and during the inauguration, as well as at state capitols throughout the country, Curtis said it’s left him wondering how we as Americans got to this point.

“I think it’s like so many things. It incurs in just little bits at a time,” he said.

During an interview with Doug Wright Friday evening for the Sunday Edition show, Curtis said we’ve all heard and seen things in the past few years that might’ve surprised us in the beginning, but maybe didn’t seem so bad at first.

Then, the accumulation of those things, such as social media attacks and conspiracy theories, by all sides, kept getting worse to the point where our country is now.

“I actually have a theory that we all have some ownership in this,” said Curtis. “What I mean by that is every negative comment left on Facebook, every rumor we spread, every derogatory comment we make, even an elected official, it all adds up.”

How did we as Americans get to this point where our Capitol was stormed and there's talk of possible violent protests in the future? @RepJohnCurtis has a theory. He spoke about it during a taping of Sunday Edition tonight. We'll have his thoughts on @KSL5TV at 10. #ksltv pic.twitter.com/Op6ordv7GL

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) January 16, 2021

Curtis also said it seems like we’ve lost the ability to debate each other without demonizing each other.

“My commitment is to wake up every morning and look in the mirror and ask what can I do differently,” he said. “What can I do better?”

Curtis is planning on being at President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week as a show of support and unity.

“I want my attendance to be symbolic of at least my intent as one individual and one member of Congress to give President Biden the best start that he can have,” he said.