Casten backs committee investigating Jan. 6 attack; Pekau accuses members of grandstanding
Both candidates in Illinois' 6th Congressional District have been critical of the rioters who assaulted the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 - but only one supports the House committee investigating the attack.
Republican Keith Pekau of Orland Park is challenging incumbent Democrat Sean Casten of Downers Grove for the seat. Pekau has been critical of the committee, while Casten has backed it.
The candidates talked about the Capitol siege, the bipartisan committee and other issues in questionnaires for the Daily Herald. They specifically were asked to describe their reactions to the committee's results so far and to share their thoughts on what actions Congress should take.
Casten was in his office at the Capitol complex when the assault began. In his questionnaire, Casten accused then-President Donald Trump of inciting the insurrection, which occurred while Congress was meeting to certify the presidential election results.
"I am equally horrified that 139 of my own colleagues attempted to finish the job by voting to decertify the election results," Casten said, referring to the Republicans who voted that way.
Congress must pass new laws to protect the nation against future attacks, Casten said. That includes reforming the Electoral Count Act to make it harder to overturn the results of a presidential election.
Casten was part of the bipartisan House majority that approved such legislation last month. It awaits a Senate review.
Casten also supports using the 14th Amendment to discourage people from committing future acts of insurrection. Among other things, the amendment bars anyone who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution and who then engaged in insurrection or assisted insurrectionists from holding state or federal office. It also gives Congress the power to remove them from office.
Pekau, who is Orland Park's mayor, has said the people who stormed the Capitol broke the law and should be prosecuted.
During the GOP primary campaign, Pekau stopped short of calling the attack an act of insurrection. "Every protest that turns into a riot against police or any government body could qualify as insurrection," he said.
In his most recent Daily Herald questionnaire, Pekau accused the members of the House investigative committee of using the group "to politically grandstand during prime-time hearings."
Additionally, even though witnesses have testified at length about the attack and much video evidence has been shared, Pekau argued the committee hasn't yet presented any results.
A written report of the committee's findings is pending.
The 6th District includes much of the West and Southwest suburbs in Cook and DuPage counties.
Election Day is Nov. 8. Early voting has begun.