Suzanne Mettler and Robert C. Lieberman, political scientists with extensive experience in American politics, submit a statement to the United States House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. They argue that four historic threats to democracy—political polarization, conflict over who belongs in the political community, rising economic inequality, and executive aggrandizement—converged to fuel the attack. These threats have repeatedly endangered American democracy throughout history, with the most recent convergence leading to the Capitol riot. The authors highlight the parallels between the 2021 incident and the 1898 Wilmington coup, where white supremacists overthrew a biracial government, and the differences, including the involvement of national political leaders. They emphasize the need for immediate action to protect democracy, suggesting reforms to the Electoral Count Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to ensure election integrity and prevent future democratic backsliding.Suzanne Mettler and Robert C. Lieberman, political scientists with extensive experience in American politics, submit a statement to the United States House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. They argue that four historic threats to democracy—political polarization, conflict over who belongs in the political community, rising economic inequality, and executive aggrandizement—converged to fuel the attack. These threats have repeatedly endangered American democracy throughout history, with the most recent convergence leading to the Capitol riot. The authors highlight the parallels between the 2021 incident and the 1898 Wilmington coup, where white supremacists overthrew a biracial government, and the differences, including the involvement of national political leaders. They emphasize the need for immediate action to protect democracy, suggesting reforms to the Electoral Count Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to ensure election integrity and prevent future democratic backsliding.