What do we do with members of Congress who help plan its attempted overthrow?

On Sept. 11, 2001, we were attacked from outside of our borders, but on Jan. 6, we were attacked from within. This attack was the end of a long buildup of four years of fearmongering and half-truths that managed to convince a large number of Americans that the 2020 election was “stolen by emboldened radical-left Democrats,” former President Trump claimed, according to NPR.

This “Big Lie” became one of the foundational pieces which provoked the insurrection and led the Halls of Congress, often referred to as a pillar of democracy, to become ransacked by conspiracy theorists and white supremacists.

Once the dust had settled and democracy came out of this attack alive, even if battered and bruised, the former President made history as the first, and so far, only, President to ever be impeached and acquitted twice.

This is, unfortunately, a story that does not need to be told again. However, what should be addressed are the sitting members of Congress who took part in planning the attack on the capital.

Representatives Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Madison Cawthorne of North Carolina, Louie Gohmert of Texas, and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia all have been named by insurrection organizers as individuals who they either met with or met with members of the office of these representatives.

Ali Alexander, one of the organizers of the violent insurrection, said that the organizing and planning of Jan. 6 were possible thanks to the help of Gosar, Biggs, and Brooks in particular, according to an exclusive interview with the Rolling Stone.

American Law is quite clear on what happens to organizers or those who take part in an insurrection, “Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States,” according to U.S. Code 2383.

This seems to be cut and dry as to what should happen following this break-through report and the multiple insurrectionists that concur with it. They should be removed from Congress at the very least and serve no more than ten years in federal prison.

This call is not unheard of. Members of Congress Representative including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have called for the expulsion of these members of Congress, citing the same U.S. Code.

This is not a question of left or right; this is a question of law and order. Do we allow members of Congress to help plan the overthrow of democratic processes and the government that they are part of to stay in their seats? Or do we punish them for this attack on democracy and the United States?
The answer seems simple if you ask me.