Hillary Clinton says the January 6 Capitol riot was 'a gift' to America's adversaries

• Hillary Clinton tore into the GOP for "embracing the violent insurrection."
• Clinton laid out the contrasts between the two parties ahead of November's midterm elections.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton blasted the Republican Party's downplaying of the insurrection on Thursday, arguing that the GOP is distracted at a time when American families need real help.

"When the Republican Party officially embraces violent insurrection as legitimate political discourse, when storming the Capitol, assaulting police officers, trying to overturn an election are being normalized, we are in uncharted territory," Clinton said during her keynote speech at the New York Democratic Party's convention.

Clinton echoed President Joe Biden's belief that the US faces an inflection point in the struggle between autocracies and democracies. She added that events like the insurrection play right into US adversaries' hands.

"January 6 last year was a gift to them," Clinton said. "America is only as strong as our unity and democracy allow us to be."

The Republican National Committee's censure of Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger argued that the two Republicans were "participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse" due to their service on the House January 6 Committee. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other leading GOP figures have rebuked both the party's rhetoric and actions.

Facing intense criticism for describing the Capitol riot as "legitimate political discourse," RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Politico that the phrase was referring to conservative activists who filed sham Electoral College certificates.

A spokesperson for the RNC slammed Clinton's suggestion that Republicans condoned the violent Capitol riot.

"The RNC has repeatedly condemned the violence that took place on January 6th since the day it happened," RNC Spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement. "Make no mistake, our adversaries around the world are watching the reactions of Democrats and the media regarding the bombshell Durham filing and their silence is deafening."

Alvarez's statement references special counsel John Durham's filing last week. Republicans have seized on its contents, but many have not put Durham's claims into the proper context.

Clinton tore into the GOP and pledged that she will be back on the campaign trail ahead of November's midterms. She called on Democrats to make it abundantly clear to voters where they stand.

"Republicans will claim they're on the side of parents or family values, but they will do nothing for actual parents or families," Clinton said. "They will do nothing to invest in our schools or make college more affordable. They'll ban books but they'll do nothing about guns."