Standing Our Ground

My name is Harry Dunn. I served our Capitol on January 6, 2021. Then, I ran for Congress. My service to our nation is far from over.

January 6, 2021. The ripples from that day still threaten our democracy. The lives of election workers, the backbone of our electoral systems, are being threatened online and on the ground. 

Where were you on January 6, 2021? I was at the Capitol Building, immersed in a profane mix of sweat, screams, shrieks, anger, fear, blood, death, broken limbs, spit, hatred, horror, racism, bigotry, and heroism. Capitol and DC police officers fought hand-to-hand. Many of us thought we were going to die. Some of us did. We were cursed; doused with bear and pepper spray; and beating with sticks, pipes, batons, shields, bike racks, and even the American flag. 

Just like I was marked by that day, you were too. You glared at your TV screen or listened to your radio in disbelief. You felt something you had never felt before, the shock and fear that somebody was trying to take over your country. 

January 6, 2021 was a frightening wake-up call that our democracy, the thing we hold so precious, can be taken from us if we don’t protect it. My fellow officers and I gave it our all on January 6th. We stood our ground, and because we did, our democracy is still standing. 

And I still stand, and I continue to fight. It’s why I testified before the January 6th Committee, it is why I testified in two trials of Oath Keepers, it is why I ran for Congress, and it is why I am writing this Substack piece today. 

I am standing my ground today not because I want something for me, but because I want accountability. I want the people responsible for that day, including Donald Trump, to pay a price, just like we paid a price. 

I want us to never repeat a day like that. 

I will always be standing my ground to make sure our democracy exists. Now, I am asking you to stand with me so that nothing like this ever happens again. That’s why, today, I am launching Standing Our Ground, a new Substack dedicated to sharing my story and reaching Americans from across our great nation with the hope of saving our democracy. 

Here’s what you can expect if you subscribe: Every week, I will be sharing a new post about our democracy, my career as a Capitol Police Officer, the events of January 6, 2021, and what I am doing now to stop it – from canvassing in battleground states for Kamala to testifying on Capitol Hill to appearing on CNN to stop disinformation. And most importantly, I’ll be sharing what I think all of us can be doing to protect our democracy. If you are a paid subscriber, you’ll get access to even more weekly posts, be the first to know when we do live Q&As, and more. You can become a paid monthly subscriber today: 

While this is the beginning of my Substack journey, it’s not the beginning of my journey. I cannot wait to take you along on this ride. 

See you soon,

Harry