Yesterday, over 100 leaders of the conservative movement released the following letter
pointing out that Republicans who challenged the counting of tainted Electoral votes were availing themselves of a constitutional process that has been used by Democrats regularly, most recently in 2017 and that using the Constitution’s processes is neither an incitement to violence nor an act of insurrection. The text of the letter and list of signers follows:
January 14, 2020
Washington, DC
Conservatives condemn the violent actions that took place at the United States Capitol last week. Our self-government is founded upon the rule of law, and violence as a form of protest is never acceptable. Unlike most Democrats, we condemned the violent actions of rioters over the summer. We condemn the recent violence with equal vigor.
But one thing is also clear: the actions of 8 Senators and 139 House members, including Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Ted Cruz, and many others, who intended to or did debate the certification of certain states’ 2020 electors is not, and never will be, tantamount to violence. The right and ability to object to electoral certification is written into the Constitution and housed in the procedural rights of those who represent us.
It is why Democrats in the House, and in one case, the Senate, rose to object to elections in 2001, 2005, and as recently as 2017. Those Democrats – which include currently sitting Reps. Clyburn, Davis, Grijalva, Hastings, Jackson-Lee, Lee, Pallone, Schakowsky, Thompson, and Waters– were not assigned motives of treason, or sedition, or violent overthrow of the government, and for good reason. Our representatives using the constitutional and procedural rights afforded to them as elected officials is not, by definition, an incitement to violence.
Our self-government exists to deliberate, debate, and resolve issues of consequence to the country. Exiling or in any way punishing those who try to use the bodies as they were intended – as national forums where voters see their concerns raised and considered in a democratic fashion – will diminish what has made our republic strong. It sets a precedent that foreshadows a dangerous disintegration of the consensus that has held us together: a respect for dissent, a vigorous but respectful airing of views, and peaceable resolution by democratic means.
Moreover, we reject opportunistic attempts by some to use last week’s events as a pretext to dismiss legitimate concerns about election irregularities, and illegal and unconstitutional actions. The 2020 election was conducted in an unprecedented manner: largely by mail, and in a way that overwhelmed the capacities of many states. It is not at all unreasonable to review the manner in which votes were counted.
Indeed, if the goal is to restore faith in future elections, then a comprehensive review and analysis to determine what went wrong, what went right, and what is in need of reform should be a critical next step.
The violence committed at the Capitol was reprehensible and without defense. The overwhelming majority of protestors were peaceful, however, and did not participate in criminal activities. They are still Americans, their concerns still matter, and they cannot be wished away by legislators as inconvenient.
Our politics should be where we solve problems. It should not be a forum for violence, or for politically motivated purges. Moving forward from here will require more speech, not less; more deliberation, not demagoguery. Moves to punish or to exile will not build us up, they will only serve to marginalize, radicalize and destroy. We urge all our leaders – and all conservatives – to oppose them.
The Honorable Edwin Meese III
Attorney General
President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988)
The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell
Chairman
Constitutional Congress, Inc.
The Honorable Jim DeMint
Chairman, Conservative Partnership Institute
Member, US Senate (SC 2005-2013)
Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq.
Chairman, CNP Action, Inc.
President and CEO, First Liberty Institute
The Honorable Morton C. Blackwell
President
The Leadership Institute
Wesley Denton
Chief Operating Officer
Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI)
Herman Pirchner, Jr.
Founding President
American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC)
Jenny Beth Martin
Chairman
Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund
Rachel Bovard
Senior Director of Policy
Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI)
Mary Vought
Executive Director
Senate Conservatives Fund
The Honorable Donald Paul Hodel
U.S. Secretary of Energy (1982-1985)
U.S. Secretary of Interior (1985-1989)
Marjorie Dannenfelser
President
Susan B. Anthony List
The Honorable Tony Perkins
President
Family Research Council
Daniel Schneider
Executive Director
American Conservative Union (ACU)
Frank J. Gaffney
Executive Chairman
Center for Security Policy
William Shaker
CEO
Washington Marking Group
Eunie Smith
President Emeritus
Eagle Forum
Judson Phillips
Founder
Tea Party Nation
Kevin Freeman
Founder
NSIC Institute
Sal Russo
Co-Founder and Chief Strategist
Tea Party Express
Karen England
Executive Director
Capitol Resource Institute
The Honorable Gary L. Bauer
President
American Values
Ron Pearson
Executive Director
Conservative Victory Fund
Gerard Kassar
State Chairman
NYS Conservative Party
Mat Staver
Chairman
Liberty Counsel Action
J. Christian Adams
President
Public Interest Legal Foundation
Dr. Richard Rounsavelle
Trustee
Media Research Center
Willes K. Lee
President, National Federation of Republican Assemblies
Saulius “Saul” Anuzis
President
60 Plus Association
Donald L. Woodsmall
Managing Member
Arromid, LLC
Rick Scarborough
President
Recover America Now
Kay R. Daly
President
Coalition for a Fair Judiciary
G. Eric Georgatos
Executive Producer
America Can We Talk?
Dr. Alejandro Antonio Chafuen
Chairman and Acting President
Hispanic American Center for Economic Research
Rob Gluskin
Managing Partner
Gluskin Investment Partners
William W. Pascoe, III
Board Member
Tea Party Patriots Action
Art Ally
President
Timothy Partners, Ltd.
The Honorable George K. Rasley Jr.
Managing Editor
ConservativeHQ.com
Joan Holt Lindsey
President
Lindsey Communications
Terry Schilling
Executive Director
American Principles Project
Lee Beaman
CEO
Beaman Ventures
Bill Johnson
President
American Decency Association
Leigh Bortins
Owner
Classical Conversations
Rick Manning
President
Americans for Limited Government
Lewis K. Uhler
Founder and President
National Tax Limitation Committee
Amapola Hansberger
President
Legal Immigrants for America
Rebecca Hagelin
CEO
United in Purpose
Paavo Ensio
Chairman
Universal Minerals Group
Dr. Daphne Patai
Emeritus Professor
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Caren Cowan
Publisher
New Mexico Stockman magazine
C. E. Cowan
Publisher
Livestock Market Digest
Floyd Brown
President
Western Center for Journalism
Paul Gessing
President
Rio Grande Foundation
John Richardson
President
Protect Americans Now
James R. Tovar
Development Director
National Legal and Policy Center
Nancy Schulze
Founder, President
Republican Congressional Wives Speakers
The Honorable Mark Finchem
State Representative
Arizona Legislature
Simina Farcasiu
Founder and CEO
Lower48 Analytics
George C. Landrith
President
Frontiers of Freedom
Clare Lopez
Founder/President
Lopez Liberty LLC
Alfred S. Regnery
Chairman, Conservative Action Project
President, Republic Book Publishers
The Honorable Bob McEwen
U.S. House of Representatives
Former Member, Ohio
Ed Corrigan
Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project & President & CEO, Conservative Partnership Institute
David Bozell
President
ForAmerica
L. Brent Bozell, III
Founder and President
Media Research Center
Penny Y. Nance
President & CEO
Concerned Women for America
The Honorable Colin A. Hanna
President
Let Freedom Ring, Inc.
The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop
White House Advisor
President Ronald Reagan (1981-1985)
William L. Walton
President
Council for National Policy
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr.
Chief Domestic Advisor
President Ronald Reagan (1987-1988)
The Honorable Matt Schlapp
Chairman
American Conservative Union (ACU)
Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.)
Executive Vice President
Family Research Council
The Honorable Matt Schlapp
Chairman
American Conservative Union (ACU)
Myron Ebell
Leader, EPA Team
Trump Transition (2016-17)
Stephen Stockman
U.S. House of Representatives
Former Member, Texas
Anne Schlafly Cori
Chairman
Eagle Forum
Colleen Holcomb
President
Eagle Forum
Dr. Teryn B. Clarke
Neurologist
Newport Beach
Benjamin R. Case
Private Citizen
Troy J. Andrews
CEO
Paradigm Midstream, LLC
Richard Wright
Owner
R & S LLC
Lori Roman
President, American Constitutional Rights Union Action
Marcia G. Taylor
CEO
Bennett Family of Companies
Richard G. Scurry
VP Business Development
14all, Inc.
Seton Motley
President
Less Government
Jack Park
Conservative Activist and Donor
Law Offices of Jack Park
Kielle C. Horton
President
The Lindsey Foundation
The Honorable Diana Denman
Presidential Appointee/President Ronald Reagan, The Reagan Legacy Forum
James L. Martin
Founder & Chairman
60 Plus Association
Michelle Easton
President, Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women
Mike Davis
Founder and President
Article III Project (A3P)
Khadine Ritter
Chairman
Eagle Forum of Ohio
Reverend Frank Pavone
National Director
Priests for Life
Rob Chambers
Vice President
AFA Action
C. Preston Noell III
President
Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
Chad Connelly
President
Faith Wins
Richard Norman
Founder and President
The Richard Norman Company
Robert Keith Fischer
Meeting Coordinator
Conservatives of Faith
The Honorable Peter J. Thomas
Chairman
The Conservative Caucus
Bill Shaker
CEO
Washington Marketing Group
Barbara Ledeen
Ron Robinson
President
Young America’s Foundation
Dr. Christopher C. Hull
Senior Fellow
Americans for Intelligence Reform
Robyn Sachs
President
RMR & Associates
David Hirsch
Managing Director
RSI Realty
Andresen Blom
President
Hawaiian Values
Elaine Donnelly
President
Center for Military Readiness
Sandy Rios
Director of Governmental Affairs
American Family Association
Don L. (Bebo) Lee
President
New Mexico Federal Lands Council
Tim Throckmorton
President
Lifepointe Ministries
Dr. Jeffrey Satinover
Managing Director
Sterling Institute
The Honorable Eileen J. O’Connor
Founder, Law Office of Hon. Eileen J. O’Connor PLLC
Randy M. Long
Founder
Long Business Advisors, LL
Jeffrey B. Mendell
Chairman & CEO
JBM Realty
Dr. Donald van der Vaart
Senior Fellow
John Locke Foundation
Tim Wildmon
President
American Family Association
Bradley Johnson
President
Americans for Intelligence Reform
Debra Burlingame
Co-founder, 9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America
Karen Hartman
Paralegal
Heartbeat International
Ted Cruz
Josh Hawley
Objection to Electors
Constitution
senate process
Capitol riots
Donald Trump