In a bipartisan effort to safeguard democratic principles and the rule of law led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, and Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a coalition of 51 attorneys general issued a statement Monday calling for peace nationwide in response to the Nov. 5 presidential election.
The move comes as news reports circulate that business districts of urban downtowns from Washington, D.C., to Portland, Ore., are boarding up their storefronts anticipating similar violence by radical Leftists and Antifa as when Donald Trump won the 2016 election.
“Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s election, we expect that Americans will respond peacefully, and we condemn any acts of violence related to the results. A peaceful transfer of power is the highest testament to the rule of law, a tradition that stands at the heart of our nation’s stability. As Attorneys General, we affirm our commitment to protect our communities and uphold the democratic principles we serve.
We call upon every American to vote, participate in civil discourse and, above all, respect the integrity of the democratic process. Let us come together after this election not divided by outcomes but united in our shared commitment to the rule of law and safety of all Americans. Violence has no place in the democratic process; we will exercise our authority to enforce the law against any illegal acts that threaten it.”
The statement follows recent national polls highlighting widespread concerns among Americans about potential post-election unrest. Recognizing the gravity of these concerns, the attorneys general underscored the duty of elected leaders to ensure public order, promote national unity, and remind Americans of the importance of civil discourse.
Violence also erupted on January 6 at the Nation’s Capitol when Trump backers protested and many trespassed in the building’s interior, but the $30 million in insurance claims paled in comparison to the $1-$2 billion in claims filed after the George Floyd riots of 2020.
Nearly every attorney general in the country joined the coalition. In addition to Kansas, Ohio, Connecticut, and Oregon, the bipartisan coalition included attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maire, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The coalition urges other leaders and Americans as a whole to join in upholding these shared values and preserving the nation’s foundational legacy.
Dane Hicks is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He is the author of novels "The Skinning Tree" and "A Whisper For Help." As publisher of the Anderson County Review in Garnett, KS., he is a recipient of the Kansas Press Association's Boyd Community Service Award as well as more than 60 awards for excellence in news, editorial and photography.
