Dear Mrs. Slick

 

Dear Ms. Slick:    Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the integrity of our democracy and the attack on the United States Capitol Building. I appreciate hearing from you.   On January 6, domestic terrorists, inspired, encouraged and emboldened by President Donald Trump, attacked the U.S. Capitol Building in an effort to prevent the certification of the election of Joe Biden as President of the United States.   While shocking, these events were entirely foreseeable. They were the direct result of President Trump's lies about the integrity of our most recent election, and his frequent incitements of insurrection. For weeks, the President has lied about his decisive defeat, promoting wild conspiracy theories about unsubstantiated fraud and encouraging this insurrection-but he didn't do it alone. President Trump was aided and abetted every step of the way by a multitude of members in both the House and Senate who, after four years of enabling his authoritarian tendencies, sought to invalidate the will of the very people they serve when Congress convened to count the states' electoral votes for the 2020 general election. These members of Congress, along with President Trump, share responsibility for this direct assault on our democracy and on our Nation's CapitolBuilding. Their collective actions and words put lives at risk and struck at the heart of our most fundamental democratic principles.   President Trump is a threat to our domestic and national security. It is self-evident that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. I have called on Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and begin the process of removing the powers of the presidency from Donald Trump. This is the quickest way to protect our domestic and national security in his remaining days of power   There can be no justice without accountability for those involved in the insurrection against the federal government. As a Nation, we cannot advance our shared democratic values without consequences for those who have betrayed those values. Those who stormed the Capitol should face charges. President Trump should be impeached and removed from office because he betrayed his oath to the Constitution and incited a mob to violence. There should also be accountability for those members of Congress who led the effort to overthrow a democratic election. If they refuse to resign their office, then Congress should begin to explore censure or expulsion. Failing to hold those responsible for the insurrection accountable would be a profound injustice and give a green light to future authoritarians.   I am saddened to hear about the deaths of Officers Brian Sicknickand Howard Liebengood. Officer Sicknick lost his life after protecting the Capitol, members of Congress and those who work in the building. Officer Liebengood was also on duty when armed terrorists stormed the Capitol last week and was part of the force protecting the building and the people in it. I mourn their deaths and am praying for their loved ones and their fellow officers, who have faced immense tragedy and loss in such a short period.   Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, http://casey.senate.gov . I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.    Sincerely,  Bob Casey  United States Senator