Editor's Note: Steve Schmidt is one of the founding members of the Lincoln Project. He is a communications and public affairs strategist who has worked on several Republican campaigns, including John McCain's 2008 bid for the White House, and he is now a regular political contributor to MSNBC. On Monday, Schmidt warned the American public that we cannot simply forgive and forget the events of Jan. 6 in a series of six tweets. MaxNewsToday has assembled this thread and reprinted it as one easy-to-read op-ed for our ongoing segment, Schmidt Storm. It has been edited for grammar and clarity. What is it that we are supposed to be moving on from regarding January 6th? The ending of the peaceful transition of power that began in 1797? The poisoning of faith and belief in American democracy by Donald Trump and GOP leaders, who chose the path of conspiracy, lying and incitement to violence rather than concede the outcome of a lawful election? Should the lethal cynicism of Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Kevin McCarthy and their disgraceful lying get a pass? There can be no moving on because the absence of accountability means this event remains a clear and PRESENT threat. It is with us. The Republican Party has become the vessel for extremism and autocracy in our decayed and decrepit democracy. It has lost faith with the American experiment. The moment demands confrontation between the Truth and Lie. It demands a square reckoning with the nature of the threat that confronts American democracy and puts down the delusional fantasies that Trump isn’t fully in control of a political movement that is deeply hostile to democracy, pluralism and the rule of law, while being supported by tens of millions of Americans. Each election is now existential. The 2022 midterms will be the first test of the vigilance and fortitude of the pro-democracy coalition vs. the resilience and endurance of Trump's autocratic faction. There have been only three occasions in the last 120 years where the incumbent president's party has gained seats in the first midterm. Democrats may lose a dozen seats from redistricting. This fight will last a generation, and the outcome is unwritten.
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