The widespread riots and looting that have plagued our country’s cities over the past several months are outrageous. Since late May, we’ve witnessed lawless anarchists take to the streets and destroy historic monuments, vandalize and burn small businesses, physically assault a U.S. senator and his wife, and harass regular Americans who were simply enjoying an outdoor dinner.
This is all happening after a Black Lives Matter leader threatened to “burn the White House down” and put police officers in graves. Democrat Rep. Ayanna Pressley said, “there needs to be unrest in the streets for as long as there’s unrest in our lives.”
As national left-wing leaders encourage the violence, local Democrat leaders appear unable to restore law and order to their cities and have turned down multiple offers of help from President Trump. Most recently, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler told President Trump “no thanks” and “we don’t need your politics of division and demagoguery,” when the President offered to send in federal law enforcement to help quell the violent riots taking place in his city.
Democrats have refused to put the safety and security of the American people first. In Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has consistently blocked any legislative solutions that would help stem the tide of violence. Although we shouldn’t be shocked by her ho-hum attitude. Speaker Pelosi herself blithely responded to the desecration of statues of Washington, Grant, and Lincoln by saying, “people will do what they do.”
Here’s a short list of the common sense bills that Pelosi’s House has blocked. I first introduced the No Tolerance for Rioters Act in June. This would double the federal penalties associated with rioting, looting, and other acts of violence against individuals or property. I joined Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Chip Roy to introduce the Restitution for Economic Losses Caused by Leaders who Allow Insurrection and Mayhem (RECLAIM) Act. This legislation would hold state and local officials accountable for refusing to enforce the law when an individual suffers damages to his or her property as a result of rioting and it empowers victims of rioting to sue the local officials who allowed it to happen.
After innocent lives were lost in Seattle's lawless “autonomous zone,” I introduced the Justice for Victims of Lawless Cities Act, which allows any individual who is the victim of murder, rape, or any felony in one of these zones to sue the state or jurisdiction for damages. The bill also allows business owners to sue the state or jurisdiction for damages to their business within a lawless zone. If Seattle’s mayor wants to tolerate this lawlessness and dub it a “summer of love,” then their city should be held accountable.
Contrary to what you hear from Democrats and liberal media outlets, there are people in Washington, D.C. who stand for law and order and are trying to regain control of our streets, starting with President Trump. Violence like this has no place in America. You cannot fight for justice by committing injustices on other people. We have to get back to resolving our issues through debate and democracy, not looting and lawlessness. If Democrats won’t stand up for all Americans, then under the leadership of President Trump, Republicans will.