‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Folks, our country is grieving.

George Floyd’s murder was a brutal tragedy that never should have happened. There is no order without justice and those responsible must be held accountable. The grief and pain that comes from senseless, racist acts like this is immense — George Floyd and too many people of color should be alive today.

I stand with the peaceful protesters demanding action and will work in Congress for solutions to end the inequality we have in our country today.

This includes but is not limited to ending the militarization of law enforcement, prohibiting the use of chokeholds, increasing de-escalation training, and addressing the societal gaps that have disproportionately harmed the African American community for too long.

In moments of such pain and frustration, every American should be able to look to their President to acknowledge their anger and take action towards real solutions.

Instead, Donald Trump has had peaceful protesters tear gassed, incited violence and put his own interests above the safety and civil rights of others. These actions show a complete lack of moral character we not only deserve but should demand from the highest leader of the land.

This year’s election is critical to real reforms to address our broken systems. We must beat Donald Trump and elect a leader in Joe Biden who will fight for those solutions.

I commit myself to listen to those making their voices heard for major changes to our society and I hope you will join me in doing the hard work to form a more perfect union.

Ed