Labor Federation Condemns Violent Attack on U.S. Capitol and Our Democracy
On Wednesday, we witnessed one of the worst attacks on our Democracy since the Civil War. On a day we should have been celebrating the against-all-odds election of a pro-worker majority to the U.S. Senate, right-wing vigilantes, armed with bats, guns, and pipe bombs, forced their way into the U.S. Capitol in a planned attempt to block the will of the people by preventing certification of Joe Biden as President. Incited by Donald J. Trump, these treasonous opponents of racial equality and democracy desecrated the national capitol with the Confederate flag, then, with few exceptions, were allowed to walk out without arrest.
This attempted coup was an attack on all of us — our Constitution, our democracy, and our country. It is the consequence of a repetition of lies and conspiracy theories by a president who refuses to accept that millions of us turned out to stand with and for each other to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris by overwhelming margins.
The violence was stoked by the baseless allegations of election fraud conjured by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and far too many others in the last two months. The lessons of history were ignored, as Republican officials put short-term political gain ahead of their constitutional responsibilities.
Standing amidst the glass of shattered windows in the US Capitol Wednesday night, Gulf Coast Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, Rep. Brian Babin, Rep. Troy Nehls, Rep. Pete Sessions, and Rep. Randy Weber joined a majority of the Texas GOP Congressional delegation in voting to undo the results of a fair and free election. In so doing, these men abdicated their responsibility to the American people and violated their oath to defend the U.S. Constitution. We must never forget.
Ted Cruz and other Republicans who set the stage for Wednesday’s insurrection by attacking the legitimacy of the November election are no longer fit for office. They should resign immediately and face consequences.
We call on the members of the Gulf Coast Congressional delegation to act immediately to remove Donald Trump from office. We call upon them to investigate and sanction those Congress members who broke their oath of office by attempting to overturn the election, including removal from office. Further, we demand the Texas House of Representatives immediately begin impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Ken Paxton and any other state official who supported the attack on the Capitol Building and sought to overturn the results of the November election.
Democracy is the voice for all. The labor movement will not let anyone take it away from us.
