January 6 United States Capitol attack

Robert PapeAmerican political scientist, professor at the University of Chicago and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats

• Pape says his center reviewed all roughly 1,575 January 6 prosecutions and found only 10% were militia members, with 45% business owners and professionals.

  “Only 10% were members of militia groups”

  Modern Wisdom: “This Will Be The Most Violent Election Of Our Lifetime” - Robert Pape #1154 (Sep 24, 2026) · Listen from 47:18

• Pape suggests that stronger police resistance at the Capitol could have drawn far more than 1,600 people into the breach.

  “I think there's a good chance you would have had many more than the 1600 come in”

  Modern Wisdom: “This Will Be The Most Violent Election Of Our Lifetime” - Robert Pape #1154 (Sep 24, 2026) · Listen from 37:39

• Pape says Trump made no attempt to call off the Capitol crowd for about three hours and has since glorified and pardoned the participants.

  “President Trump did nothing to call them off until the very end”

  Modern Wisdom: “This Will Be The Most Violent Election Of Our Lifetime” - Robert Pape #1154 (Sep 24, 2026) · Listen from 32:48