ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CONDEMNS ATTACK ON THE U.S. CAPITOL

Chicago — Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a bipartisan coalition of 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia, in sending a letter to Acting U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen condemning the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, and stating such actions cannot be allowed to go unchecked.

“The criminal attack on our democracy on January 6 was horrific and unacceptable,” Raoul said. “This country has always served as a beacon of democracy, and last week, rioters threatened that democracy. Regardless of one’s political ideology, we should all recognize that these criminal actions cannot go unchecked. Those who participated in the violence at the Capitol must be held fully accountable under the law.”

The letter reads:

“We, the undersigned state attorneys general, are committed to the protection of public safety, the rule of law, and the U.S. Constitution. We are appalled that on January 6, 2021, rioters invaded the U.S. Capitol, defaced the building, and engaged in a range of criminal conduct – including unlawful entry, theft, destruction of U.S. government property, and assault. Worst of all, the riot resulted in the deaths of individuals, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer, and others were physically injured. Beyond these harms, the rioters’ actions temporarily paused government business of the most sacred sort in our system – certifying the result of a presidential election.

“We all just witnessed a very dark day in America. The events of January 6 represent a direct, physical challenge to the rule of law and our democratic republic itself. Together, we will continue to do our part to repair the damage done to institutions and build a more perfect union. As Americans, and those charged with enforcing the law, we must come together to condemn lawless violence, making clear that such actions will not be allowed to go unchecked.

“Thank you for your consideration of and work on this crucial priority.”

Joining Raoul in the letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

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