Submitted by Jill Oberlander, Greenwich Selectperson
For the past week I have tried to tamp down my outrage at the incitement and violence we all witnessed last Wednesday. My hope, then and now, is that we will be able to put the partisan politics and vitriol behind us and begin to heal our divided nation and community.
However, recent statements and commentary in both our local and national papers, suggest that there is already a movement to sweep this treasonous affront to our democracy under the rug through the continued propagation of distorted facts and distraction.
It is my belief that each of us who has sworn an oath to protect the Constitution has a personal obligation to publicly repudiate and hold to account everyone who participated in the unlawful attacks both on our Capitol and on the public servants upon whom we rely to uphold our laws and protect our institutions.
I join the public condemnation of the incitement and violence that occurred and support the request of Vice President Pence to quickly take action to remove President Trump under the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Since it is quite possible that the Vice President may not act, I fully support the effort to impeach the President and ask our dedicated Congressional representatives to move quickly and decisively toward that goal.
In the words of President Theodore Roosevelt, “Patriotism means to stand with the country. It does not mean to stand with the president.” I ask each of my fellow elected officials to similarly declare their opposition. Not one of us can support a president who encourages violent objection to our nation’s democratic principles, thereby threatening the foundation and future of our great country and democracy.