FCDC Chair’s Statement on the Death of Capitol Police Officer and Call on Fairfax Republicans to join in a moment of national unity
The following is a statement from Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) Chair Bryan Graham on the recent events in Washington, DC that have led to the death of five people, including a Fairfax County resident and Capitol Police Officer.
Last night, it was announced that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died from wounds sustained while defending our Capitol Building. Officer Sicknick was a resident of Fairfax County, living in Springfield. Your Fairfax County Democratic Committee mourns the loss of life in the attack and the psychological and sociological damage it has inflicted on our nation. We offer our thoughts and prayers to the family and colleagues of Officer Sicknick.
Republican leaders here in Fairfax County and across this country have spent the last four years enabling President Trump, parroting his conspiracy theories and lies to deceive and divide us. And, while I applaud those who are now able to criticize this conduct, it is shameful that it took the President deliberately whipping a huge crowd into a frenzy and pointing them in the direction of the United States Capitol to make that happen.
The enabling behavior of Republicans has not abated since the attack on our nation’s Capitol Building. Local and national Republicans have failed in their responsibility to join in national unity in the wake of the Capitol attack on January 6th. Instead, they try to equivocate this deadly seditious attack with last summer’s rallies for social justice.
In the past two days, it has become obvious to even the most casual observer that our democracy is fragile. We, as your local Democratic Party, are determined to protect the free and fair elections that define our republic and stand firmly against those who would destroy our form of government.
We reiterate our condemnation of the terrorist attack on our seat of government; we insist on swift justice for those who encouraged and engaged in the attack. And we call on our colleagues in the Fairfax County Republican Party to join us in unity in this condemnation and demand for justice.
