Read the full piece at Real Clear Politics
<[link removed]>
Dear Friend, 

 

Last week’s events have shaken our country to its core.

 

Unite America’s response calling for accountability and reform, which ran in
RealClearPolitics
<[link removed]>
today, is below.

 

Our work is more important than ever. Thank you for your ongoing support.

OUR RESPONSE

"A week ago, our nation was sorely tested as a deadly insurrection fueled by
self-interested politicians and partisan disinformation aimed to overturn the
legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election.

 

Those images made clear for all to see that our political division and
gridlock no longer simply undermine the functioning of our government; they now
threaten the very continuity of our democratic republic.

 

This is a moment not only for unequivocal words, but also for bold action: We
must hold the leaders who betrayed the public trust accountable, and we must
greatly accelerate nonpartisan reforms to break the doom loop of political
polarization that is fueling growing unrest.

 

In 2020, Unite America supported a cross-partisan slate of candidates who had
committed themselves to putting country over party and championing reforms to
improve our political system. We are proud that most of these leaders,
Democrats and Republicans alike, voted to uphold the will of the people in the
last election. In particular, we express enormous gratitude to Rep. Peter
Meijer, a Michigan Republican, who has been outspoken regarding the integrity
of our elections and the need for honesty from our political leaders.

 

“It didn’t have to end like this, with five people dead, including a Capitol
Police officer. This should be a moment of reckoning for the country as a
whole, and the conservative movement in particular,” Meijer said. “If the
Republican Party ever hopes to regain the public’s trust and lead the country
forward after this heinous assault, it must first be honest with itself.”

 

We agree. We also believe there must be accountability for all 147 members of
Congress who voted to object to the Electoral College results certification --
putting party over country -- just hours after the U.S. Capitol was breached by
a violent mob. Generations of Americans have risked their lives to protect that
building and what it stands for, yet these members refused to even risk their
jobs to uphold their oath of office to protect and defend our Constitution.

 

Accordingly, in this unprecedented circumstance, Unite America has rescinded
our endorsement of Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte of California and requested a
refund of a PAC contribution to Ohio Congressman Bill Johnson. They made a
terrible calculation and their decisions carry significant consequences for our
country.

 

The key to fixing our politics is not just to change who we elect, but how we
elect. As long as our leaders’ path to election runs through the extreme bases
of both political parties, and as long as both political parties are insulated
from any kind of new competition, our country will continue to be torn apart
and our democracy will continue to fray.

 

The events of Jan. 6, 2021, must prompt a clarion call for Congress and state
legislatures to eliminate partisan gerrymandering, closed primaries,
plurality-winner elections, and barriers to voter participation that
collectively disenfranchise citizens, distort representation, and fuel our
division.

 

Fortunately, electoral reform is taking root across the country. Alaska
voters, for instance, adopted a reform supported by Unite America last November
to implement our country’s first nonpartisan primary with a
ranked-choice-voting general election, which will have the impact of rewarding
rather punishing leaders who put the public interest over partisan interests.
Notably, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski was the first Republican senator who called
for the president’s resignation last week. Reform matters because incentives
matter.

 

Unite America is redoubling our efforts to advance nonpartisan election
reforms that fix the broken incentive structure in our political system. And we
will continue to hold ourselves and those whom we support to the highest
standards of integrity as we work to put voters first."

 

Read the full piece at RealClearPolitics
<[link removed]>

Stay United, 

 

Nick Troiano

__

Nick Troiano

Executive Director

Unite America



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