John,

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, FL. Gathering with thousands of conservative activists and policymakers in the Sunshine State was definitely a welcoming experience.

As I began to see old friends and make new ones, one of the recurring messages I heard in conversation after conversation was that there is a strong fervor for criminal justice reform.

Nowhere was that more apparent than a session on the death penalty. After years of Conservatives Concerned presence at CPAC, and with more and more conservative lawmakers sponsoring or co-sponsoring bills to repeal the death penalty, this was a first that would not have happened without the tireless commitment of many of you.

During the session, Utah County Attorney David Leavitt admirably argued for the end of the death penalty, skillfully conveying t the astronomical cost and the fact that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime.

"One exoneration may be one too many," he said, reminding us of the prevalent risk of executing an innocent person. The truth is, as he said, "The morality of the death penalty is simply not having it at all."

He also said something that struck me: "The most dangerous people in the world are good people who are convinced they are right." For too long, too many conservatives have been convinced that the death penalty is justice. But we've also done the important and humbling work to show each other a different way - that if we really care about conservative principles, we know that the death penalty has got to go.

This debate was only the beginning. Now is the time to recommit to ending the death penalty and replacing it with common sense solutions that can actually make families safer.

Sign the Conservative Statement of Support to End the Death Penalty: [link removed]

CPAC showed that there is indeed a shift happening in conservative politics when it comes to the death penalty. Conservatives are not just raising concerns about the moral and economic costs of the death penalty. We are also interested in redemptive alternatives that make families safe.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I strongly believe momentum is on our side.

In service,
Demetrius


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