WASHINGTON, D.C. – The leader of the Republican Party of Virginia released a statement Wednesday evening condemning the violent acts that took place during protests at the U.S. Capitol building that day.
Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) chairman Rich Anderson said, in the statement, “...I condemn in the strongest possible terms those who have today employed violence, breached the security of our nation’s Capitol, and defied our law enforcement heroes and others in positions of authority...”
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Anderson said the “despicable acts” are not representative of the party’s values or views.
In the statement, the RPV called on “all citizens who are present on Capitol Hill to obey law enforcement personnel, respect the laws of our land, withdraw from Capitol Hill, and restore peace to the hallowed ground that is our nation’s Capitol.”
The Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) also released a statement in response to Wednesday’s violence at the U.S. Capitol.
The events at the Capitol were a “direct result of Republican elected officials undermining our democracy at every turn,” according to DPVA chair Susan Swecker.
Swecker also said, in the statement, “The Republican Party has made their disdain for democracy clear, and every elected GOP official has been complicit.”
You can find the full statements from both the Republican and Democratic parties of Virginia below.
FULL STATEMENT FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF VIRGINIA:
“Today, the American people witnessed unspeakable, disturbing, and horrifying acts of violence at the seat of national government of the greatest nation the world has ever known.
“As chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, I condemn in the strongest possible terms those who have today employed violence, breached the security of our nation’s Capitol, and defied our law enforcement heroes and others in positions of authority. They neither represent nor speak for the Republican Party of Virginia, our fellow citizens, or any civilized people. They do not reflect our views, our values, or the Republican Creed. I and Virginia Republicans across our great Commonwealth condemn these despicable acts without reservation or hesitation.
“As one who was privileged to wear the Air Force uniform of a great nation for 30 years and witnessed first-hand the corrosive effects of acts of national violence in other countries, I am disturbed beyond measure by today’s events on Capitol Hill. The God-given and Constitutionally-protected right of peaceful assembly and protest must be preserved, protected, and defended at all costs—but we as free citizens must be equally quick to condemn any and all acts of violence and hatred wherever and whenever they occur.
“We are a nation of laws, not of men. In that spirit, the Republican Party of Virginia calls on all citizens who are present on Capitol Hill to obey law enforcement personnel, respect the laws of our land, withdraw from Capitol Hill, and restore peace to the hallowed ground that is our nation’s Capitol.
“Today of all days is when we must answer to the better angels of our nature. Thank you to those law-abiding citizens who today respected the laws of our land, and may God bless and keep our brave law enforcement personnel who today defended the seat of our national legislature.” -- RPV chairman Rich Anderson
FULL STATEMENT FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF VIRGINIA:
“Denying our government a peaceful transition of power is nothing short of an attack on the fundamental values our country was founded upon, and we must be crystal clear about why this took place.
What we saw at the Capitol is the direct result of Republican elected officials undermining our democracy at every turn. The words and actions of our leaders matter, and Virginia Republicans have consistently stoked conspiracy theories and empowered violent right-wing extremists.
To this day not one Republican member of Congress from Virginia has accepted the results of the presidential election. And just yesterday Republican members of the House of Delegates used their official time and resources to send a letter advocating for the overturning of our Commonwealth’s free and fair election. Both of the Republican candidates for Governor, Kirk Cox and Amanda Chase, refused to recognize the results of the election, and Cox was silent while Chase joined today’s protests in D.C., spreading dangerous conspiracy theories while calling for martial law.
The Republican Party has made their disdain for democracy clear, and every elected GOP official has been complicit. It’s up to every Virginian and every American to reject the values of the Republican Party that led to a violent coup attempt today in our nation’s capital. The future of our democracy depends on it.” -- DVPA chair Susan Swecker