Statement from National Sheriffs’ Association President Sheriff David Mahoney
Alexandria, VA - Our great country must solve our differences in a civilized method – at the ballot box. The violence and injuries today at the U.S. Capitol are repulsive to every freedom-loving American and an assault on democracy. For those choosing to use violence and intimidation, we must not permit, condone, or support it.
This dangerous and unauthorized incursion into the U.S. Capitol has no place in our democracy. Interrupting lawful and constitutional dialog by the members of Congress during this seminal debate is appalling.
Destroying the U.S. Capitol, disrupting Congress, and not adhering to the rule of law in our nation’s capital must be strongly dealt with.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is inviolable. However, it does not grant mobs the right to overrun the Capitol, damage the people’s House, stop open debate, or assault fellow Americans.
The Nation’s Sheriffs call upon those in D.C. protesting the outcome of the 2020 election to recognize their actions have disintegrated into violence. The action to unlawfully overwhelm the Capitol is indistinguishable from that of Antifa or any other lawless groups who chose to destroy cities and communities.
We must return our country to one that leads the world in democracy and civility even during times of strong dissent. I further call upon President Trump to call for an immediate end to this criminal behavior and return our country to a calm period. There is no place in our society for violence, criminal damage, and physical assaults.
About the National Sheriffs’ Association:
The National Sheriffs’ Association is one of the largest non-profit associations of law enforcement professionals in the United States, representing more than 3,000 elected sheriffs across the nation, and with a total membership of approximately 14,000 individuals. NSA is dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among sheriffs, their deputies, and others in the field of law enforcement, public safety, and criminal justice. Throughout its eighty-one-year history, NSA has also served as an information resource for all law enforcement, as well as local, state, and federal government agencies.
