Local political leaders react to pro-Trump insurrection
SANTA CRUZ >> As thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed upon the nation’s capital Wednesday and a scene of violence and chaos ensued,
U. S Rep. Jimmy Panetta stuck to his schedule, taking a Zoom call from his office on COVID-19 vaccine distribution across the Central Coast.
During the middle of that call, the mob forcibly entered the Capitol and gained access the House and Senate floors. The riot came after President
Donald Trump rallied crowds gathered on the Ellipse Grounds near the
White House, and requested that Vice President Mike Pence not certify President- elect Joe Biden’s win. At least one person was shot, and later died.
Panetta and other Santa Cruz County elected officials said Wednesday’s insurrection marks a new
low point in America’s democrac y, highlighting the urgency in officiating the next president of the United States.
“I’m very, very angry, I’m disappointed, I’m disheartened,” Panetta told the Sentinel. “But just like anything else, when we are confronted with this type of challenge in our country, what do we do? We don’t stand still. We stand firm, we stand strong and we move forward. And that’s exactly why I’m standing in my office right now and not cowering in a room.”
U. S. C apit ol Polic e banged on Panetta’s office door, ordering evacuations. While the Congressman instructed his staff to leave, he decided to continue his call and take shelter in his office. As of Wednesday, Panetta said he and all his staff were safe.
When asked if the White House responded to the threat of insurrection appropriately, Panetta said more should have been done.
“I had conversations with my Republican colleagues, one member told me that there would be more constituents from his district in the District of Columbia than in his district today, Wednesday,” Panetta said.
“The information was there. The intelligence was there. The fervor was there, thanks to this president and the rally he held in front of the White House today,” Panetta said. “But god damn it, the leadership is not there from this president.”
Panetta, who represents the 20th congressional district spanning from Santa Clara, Santa Cruz to Monterey and San Benito counties, said he just wants to get back to work.
“We just can’t sit here and be angry, we have to actually act. We have to ensure that the people’s house, our capital, is cleared of these protesters so that we can continue doing our job for the people of this country and certify the electoral vote count,” Panetta said. “The quicker we do that, the quicker we will remove this president, and the quicker we can move forward in our democracy.”
The Congressman said he felt confident that though the Electoral College vote certification is delayed, that President Trump would in fact be removed from office in a peaceful way on Jan. 20.
Rep. Anna Eshoo, who
serves residents in portions of San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, was also inside the U. S. Capitol on Wednesday.
“I saw today the president of the United States incited his supporters and sent them forward to do one of the most dishonorable acts in the history of our country,” Eshoo told the Sentinel.
Eshoo, like Panetta, said she wants to continue the work of certifying Biden’s win as soon as possible.
“I think it would be important to do so, to show the country that no one, no matter how abhorrent they are, is going to get in the way of our governing,” she said. “For all the people that so love our country, today’s one of the saddest days of our lives to witness what took place… but we have to look forward with hope, a new president, a new direction and, hopefully, a new day.”
Santa Cruz County leaders react
Second District Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend wrote in a statement that Wednesday’s pro-Trump insurrection reflected just how delicate America’s democracy is.
“What we are witnessing shows the fragility of the system when we retreat to our echo chambers and forget how to lead with decency,” Friend said in a statement. “The world is watching and wondering what happened to the beacon they knew but It doesn’t have to continue this way. We have the ability, and the responsibility to reset and restore decency and common purpose.”
City of Santa Cruz Mayor Donna Meyers said Wednesday’s events were tragic.
“It’s very disturbing to see your government building, the image of democracy of America (attacked) — it’s disturbing,” Meyers said.
The vice mayor of Scotts Valley, Jim Reed, a registered Republican wrote in an email that President Trump’s actions could warrant him being charged for inciting violence.
“This is not about Republican versus Democrat; this is about Donald Trump versus democracy,” Reed said in a statement. “I’m no lawyer, but given what’s happening today, I would think President Trump is vulnerable to being prosecuted and convicted for sedition.”
Kristen Petersen, vice mayor of Capitola, agreed.
“I found today’s events to be a chilling demonstra
tion of insurrection by violent anarchists and domestic terrorists acting out as a direct result of sedition from the man sitting in the seat of the highest power in our country,” Petersen wrote in an email. “It’s been a sad and scary day for our democracy and our country.”
Ryan Coonerty, third district county supervisor said that the mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on the same day he teaches a Law and Democracy class at UC Santa Cruz.
“Years ago, we would study provisional ballots, campaign finance reform and redistricting. With each passing year, our democratic processes have been under greater attack — from voting rights to dark money to today’s conspiracy-laced sedition,” Coonerty wrote in a statement.
“Democracy only exists with rule of law, established norms and leaders willing to be the ‘guardrails.’ In the coming days, we need all three to reassert themselves in a fundamental way. There is much to be done on many, many policy issues, but we need our systems and laws to be reestablished first,” Coonerty said.