“As Americans, we believe the rule of law and protection of civil liberties differentiate our nation as the greatest on earth. While many protestors are exercising their constitutional right to be heard peacefully, I urge all protestors to do so and to follow the directions of law enforcement. We are working to ensure concerns about the conduct of the presidential election in several states are heard through the existing legal process, and illegal disruptions of this process are unacceptable and not constructive.”
Congressman Smith is confirmed to be safe, at the Capitol.
From Governor Pete Ricketts:
Today, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following violence at the U.S. Capitol.
“What is happening at the U.S. Capitol is unacceptable. I condemn the violence in the strongest possible terms. Peaceful protest is the American way. Violence and destruction of property are not. I encourage the violent protestors in D.C. to leave and go home.”
Sen. Ben Sasse:
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ben Sasse issued the following statement:
“Today, the United States Capitol — the world’s greatest symbol of self-government — was ransacked while the leader of the free world cowered behind his keyboard — tweeting against his Vice President for fulfilling the duties of his oath to the Constitution.”
“Lies have consequences. This violence was the inevitable and ugly outcome of the President’s addiction to constantly stoking division.”
“Americans are better than this: Americans aren’t nihilists. Americans aren’t arsonists. Americans aren’t French revolutionaries taking to the barricades.”
“This is not how we peacefully transfer power. The American people are tough, our Constitutional order is strong, and we will meet this moment with strength and grace.”
Sen. Deb Fischer:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement in response to violence at the United States Capitol:
“These rioters have no constitutional right to harm law enforcement and storm our Capitol. We are a nation of laws, not some banana republic. This must end now.”
Ne. Attorney General Doug Peterson:
Today’s violent assault on our US Capitol is an afront to the principles of our Constitution. We are a nation of laws that are designed to maintain order and protect our freedoms. These freedoms include the right to peacefully protest, but lawlessness by any individual or organization cannot be tolerated. We as a people are better than this. We must live up to the greatness of this nation and not submit to lawless impulses.
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb:
NDP Chair Jane Kleeb and the Nebraska Democratic Party condemned the actions of a throng of President Trump supporters who breached security and broke into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday under the belief that Trump did not actually lose the Nov. 3 election to President-elect Joe Biden.
Trump — who lost the popular and electoral college vote — continues to dispute the results, without evidence, and has encouraged his supporters to attend the rallies in the nation’s capital, according to news reports. After Trump addressed the protesters, dozens of them broke into the Capitol. One protester was reportedly shot.
“The horrific violence we are witnessing is the fault of Trump and his GOP enablers — including Reps. Don Bacon, Jeff Fortenberry and Adrian Smith along with Senators Sasse and Fischer,” Kleeb said. “Trump has fomented anger among his supporters by falsely repeating his contention that the election was rigged against him. America is better than this behavior from the Republican Party no matter what tweet they try to send now.”
“People in wheelchairs were arrested in 2017 when they were peaceful as they protested not having access to healthcare,” Kleeb said “But violent Republican thugs are allowed to just storm the building? The Republican Party is rotten to the core. Trump and the Republicans have spent the last four years and hundreds of millions of dollars painting Democrats and good people that belong to our party as evil and radical — knowing full well that Trump and the Republican Party were stoking anger among his radical base that would lead to this day,” Kleeb said. “The GOP owes Americans an apology for the disgusting behavior that they have enabled. There is no sidestepping this. There is no looking the other way. The Republican Party must own the behavior that they enabled from their radical base.”
