Inside the Capitol, reminders of the violence from the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, are increasingly hard to find. Scars on the walls have been repaired. Windows and doors broken by the rioters have been replaced. There's no plaque, display or remembrance of any kind. Lawmakers rarely mention the attack. Many Republicans try to downplay it, echoing Donald Trump’s claims that the carnage was overblown and that the rioters are victims. In some ways, it’s like the insurrection that shook the foundations of American democracy never happened. After the riot, Trump's political future appeared to most lawmakers to be over. But it wasn't and in two weeks he'll take the oath of office again.
