John,
Where do we go from here?
When there’s an attempted coup, fighting corruption becomes a lot more challenging.
When there’s a violent insurrection in the Capitol attempting to overturn the results of an election, advocating for a better government is even more difficult.
When the president of the United States says “we love you” to people who have just planted bombs in the center of our capital and forced members of Congress into hiding, just calling for a more ethical democracy does not feel nearly sufficient.
This week, we saw the worst of the Trump era, but we’ve been watching Trump lay the groundwork for this assault for four years now. So as devastating as this is, it is not surprising. And as difficult as the way forward is, what actually needs to be done is very clear.
First, we must call this what it was: a violent coup encouraged by elected leaders who have proven themselves to be enemies of democracy.
Next, there must be consequences. President Trump must be impeached, removed and banned from any future federal office. It is critical that Trump not be given the chance to pardon any of the people involved in what happened this week. It is crucial that he not be given the chance to incite future violence or start this cycle again with another presidential run.
Trump did not do this alone. Members of Congress who encouraged this attack must be investigated and expelled from Congress. Start the investigations with Representative Louie Gohmert and Senator Josh Hawley. This is an extreme step, but for some, it would be well deserved.
So, where do we go from here? We hold the people who threaten our democracy to account. That was always CREW’s plan, but now the need for accountability is more obvious and urgent than ever before.
Sending hopes for a brighter tomorrow,
Noah Bookbinder
Executive Director, CREW