Inaugural Address by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

Read the full  Inaugural address of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

"THE PRESIDENT: Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, distinguished guests, and my fellow Americans.

This is America’s day.

This is democracy’s day.

A day of history and hope.

Of renewal and resolve.

Through a crucible for the ages America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge.

Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy.

The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded.

Democracy is fragile.

And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.

So now, on this hallowed ground where just days ago violence sought to shake this Capitol’s very foundation, we come together as one nation, under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries..."
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. 

U.S. Secret Service: Threats to and Assaults on Presidents and Vice Presidents

"On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence was presiding over a joint session of Congress to certify the November 2020 presidential election electoral votes when a crowd breached the U.S. Capitol’s security. Due to these events, some Members of Congress have expressed a renewed interest in U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protective detail operations.

USSS has two mandated missions: (1) criminal investigations, and (2) protection of persons and facilities. Criminal investigations focus primarily on financial crimes, whereas protection focuses on the safety and security of specific government officials and specifically identified government facilities. The criminal investigation mission is the USSS’s oldest mission; however, the protection mission is the one that often receives the most public and media attention. USSS protects the President, Vice President, their families, former Presidents, and major candidates for those offices, along with the White House and the Vice President’s official residence. Protective activities also extend to foreign missions in the District of Columbia (embassies, consulates, residences, and other buildings used by foreign governments) and to designated individuals, such as the Secretary of Homeland Security and visiting dignitaries. Separate from protecting these specific mandated individuals and facilities, USSS is responsible for coordinating security activities for National Special Security Events (NSSE), including inauguration ceremonies, major party quadrennial national conventions, and certain international conferences and events held in the United States.."
U.S. Secret Service 

The Impeachment and Trial of a Former President

"For the second time in just over a year, the House of Representatives has voted to impeach President Donald J. Trump. The House previously voted to impeach President Trump on December 18, 2019, and the Senate voted to acquit the President on February 5, 2020. Because the timing of this second impeachment vote is so close to the end of the Trump Administration, it is possible that any resulting Senate trial may not occur until after President Trump leaves office on January 20, 2021. This possibility has prompted the question of whether the Senate can try a former President for conduct that occurred while he was in office.

The Constitution’s Impeachment Provisions

The Constitution grants Congress authority to impeach and remove the President, Vice President, and other federal “civil Officers” for treason, bribery, or “other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Impeachment is one of the various checks and balances created by the Constitution, and it serves as a powerful tool for holding government officers accountable.

The impeachment process entails two distinct proceedings carried out by the separate houses of Congress. First, a simple majority of the House impeaches—or formally approves allegations of wrongdoing amounting to an impeachable offense. The second proceeding is an impeachment trial in the Senate. If the Senate votes to convict with a two-thirds majority, the official is removed from office. The Senate also can disqualify an official upon conviction from holding a federal office in the future; according to Senatepractice, this vote follows the vote for conviction. The House has impeached twenty individuals: fifteen federal judges, one Senator, one Cabinet member, and three Presidents. Of these, eight individuals—all federal judges—were convicted by the Senate. President Trump is the first individual that the House has impeached twice. During the first impeachment process, the Senate voted to acquit him following a trial for charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Impeachment of Officials After Leaving Office

The Constitution does not directly address whether Congress may impeach and try a former President for actions taken while in office. Though the text is open to debate, it appears that most scholars who have Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov LSB10565 Congressional Research Service 2 closely examined the question have concluded that Congress has authority to extend the impeachment process to officials who are no longer in office. As an initial matter, a number of scholars have argued that the delegates at the Constitutional Convention appeared to accept that former officials may be impeached for conduct that occurred while in office. This understanding also tracks with certain state constitutions predating the Constitution, which allowed for impeachments of officials after they left office. It also accords with the British impeachment of Warren Hastings two years after his resignation as the governor general of Bengal. The impeachment occurred during the Convention debates and was noted expressly by the delegates without expressing disapproval of the timing. While the Framers were aware of the British and state practices of impeaching former officials, scholars have noted that they chose not to explicitly rule out impeachment after an official leaves office. But the Framers nonetheless made other highly specific decisions about the impeachment process that departed from the British practice, such as requiring a two-thirds majority in the Senate for a conviction when the British system allowed conviction on a majority vote..."
Former President impeachment 

Firefighter Cancer Awareness

"Cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters, and research suggests firefighters are at higher risk of certain types of cancers when compared to the general population. January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. Learn more about firefighters’ cancer risk and what can be done to reduce the risk.

Hazards

Firefighting settings are complex and contain various hazardous substances. Firefighters can be exposed to hundreds of different chemicals in the form of gases, vapors, and particulates. Some of these chemical substances are known or suspected to cause cancer. Some of these hazardous substances are byproducts of combustion or burning, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Others come from the materials burning or in the fire debris, such as asbestos from older structures.

Firefighters can come into contact with chemicals by breathing them in, getting them on their skin or in their eyes, or by ingesting them. If protective clothing, known as turnout gear, is not adequately cleaned or stored after a fire response or training event, chemicals on the gear or equipment can contaminate vehicles and the fire station. Reusing dirty turnout gear or respiratory protection can also result in exposures to hazardous substances. These exposures can occur by skin contact with contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE) or by breathing in or ingesting particles from contaminated PPE.

Prevention

It is important for the Fire Service to educate its members about safe work practices. Effective training promotes a safety culture that cultivates sound work practices. Sound work practices are designed to reduce exposures to hazardous agents, which is key to reducing occupational illnesses, including cancer. Training should emphasize the proper use and care of PPE and turnout gear and the proper use of approved respiratory protection during all phases of firefighting..."
Firefighters and cancer 

Domestic Terrorism: Definitions, Terminology, and Methodology

"As required by the National Defense Authorization Act, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, have developed standard definitions of terminology related to domestic terrorism and uniform methodologies for tracking domestic terrorism incidents..."
Domestic terrorism 

DHS Launches “Be Your REAL ID Self” Public Awareness Campaign

"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun a new nationwide public awareness campaign, “Be Your REAL ID Self” to promote awareness of the REAL ID requirements and encourage the public to act before the October 1, 2021 full enforcement deadline.

Just over 8 months remain until the October 1, 2021 REAL ID full enforcement deadline goes into effect at all federally regulated airports, federal facilities, and nuclear power plants.    

The Department continues to urge Americans to obtain a REAL ID-compliant card or acceptable alternative, such as a U.S. passport or passport card prior to the October 1, 2021 enforcement deadline.

Passed by Congress in 2005 following a 9/11 Commission recommendation, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies, like the Transportation Security Administration, from accepting licenses and identification cards for official purposes from states that do not meet these standards.

Security standards include incorporating anti-counterfeiting document security features into licenses and identification cards, preventing insider fraud in the production of those licenses and cards, ensuring security of production facilities, and requiring presentation and verification of information to ensure a person is who he or she claims to be. It also prohibits federal agencies from accepting non-compliant licenses and identification cards for accessing federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft. These standards have significantly improved the reliability and accuracy of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards across the country..."
REAL ID 

Domestic Terrorism and the Attack on the U.S. Capitol

"On January 6, 2021, a large group of individuals breached the U.S. Capitol security while Congress was in session. Members were voting on whether or not to certify President-Elect Joe Biden’s election victory, and many participants in the attack allegedly intended to thwart this effort. According to media coverage, violent participants injured scores of District of Columbia Metropolitan Police and U.S. Capitol Police officers and killed one, while four civilians have died as well. In light of this incident and the violent threat to the operation of the U.S. Congress, policymakers may be interested in whether this incident may be treated as domestic terrorism and if the participants are domestic terrorists, among other issues. This Insight discusses whether or not participants and their actions may be categorized as domestic terrorists and domestic terrorism, respectively, and issues around designating domestic fringe groups, such as the Boogaloo Bois and Proud Boys who were allegedly involved in the attack, as terrorist organizations. It concludes with possible next steps for Congress.

Is this domestic terrorism?

The federal definition of domestic terrorism describes domestic terrorists as Americans who commit ideologically driven crimes in the United States but lack foreign direction or influence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) generally relies on two sources to define domestic terrorism. First, the Code of Federal Regulations characterizes “terrorism” as including “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.” Second, 18 U.S.C. §2331(5) more narrowly defines “domestic terrorism.” This definition comes from Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act (P.L. 107-56). According to 18 U.S.C. §2331(5), domestic terrorism occurs primarily within U.S. territorial jurisdiction, and involves

(A) acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended—
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11573 Congressional Research Service 2
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.."
Domestic Terrorism 

The U.S. Capitol Police: Brief Background

"U.S. Capitol Police (USCP)

The U.S. Capitol Police is a department within the legislative branch with security, protection, and administrative responsibilities. The USCP is responsible for law enforcement and security within the Capitol Complex, including the U.S. Capitol building, the Capitol Visitor Center, Capitol grounds, the House and Senate office buildings, the U.S. Botanic Garden, Capitol Police buildings, Library of Congress buildings, and adjacent grounds.

The USCP performs these roles in coordination with the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms. The House and Senate Sergeants at Arms are charged with maintaining order in their chambers, and they each perform a number of law enforcement, security-related, decorum, and protocol duties. The House and Senate have each had an elected Sergeant at Arms since 1789.
 

Capitol Police Board

The Capitol Police Board is comprised of the Senate and House Sergeants at Arms, the Architect of the Capitol, and the chief of the Capitol Police, who serves as an ex-officio member.

Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. §1901, “the purpose of the Capitol Police Board is to oversee and support the Capitol Police in its mission and to advance coordination between the Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives and the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, in their law enforcement capacities, and the Congress.” The Board is responsible for the design, installation, and maintenance of security systems for the Capitol buildings and grounds, under the direction of the Committee on House Administration and Senate Committee on Rules and Administration (2 U.S.C. §§1964-1965)..."
U.S. Capitol Police 

Federal Criminal Law: January 6, 2021, Unrest at the Capitol

"On January 6, 2021, a crowd gathered on the U.S. Capitol grounds, breached police barriers, entered the Capitol building, occupied portions of the building for an extended period of time, and clashed with law enforcement, resulting in at least five deaths, dozens of injuries, and damage to federal property. Multiple participants in the unrest allegedly carried firearms and used flag poles and other objects as weapons, and explosive devices were discovered on or near the Capitol complex. Members of Congress and the Vice President, who were in the process of fulfilling their constitutional duty of counting the 2020 presidential election electoral votes, were forced to evacuate in response to the unrest. In its wake, observers have speculated about the nature and scope of criminal charges that might be brought against a number of the individuals involved. Indeed, the first charges have already been filed in federal and D.C. Superior Court. That said, investigations are ongoing and additional charges are expected. An array of federal, District, and state criminal statutes could have been violated during the unrest, although identifying every potentially applicable statute would be difficult given the breadth and diversity of the activity and the resultant complexity of the investigations.
 

 For example, some authorities have signaled civil disorder and explosives statutes, as well as the AntiRiot Act, which are discussed in a prior Legal Sidebar, could be applicable. In addition, another CRS product analyzes the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, a federal cybercrime statute that could be relevant assuming initial reports are correct that some individuals involved in the unrest at the Capitol accessed government computers or email accounts. Additional products discuss issues related to domesticterrorism, incitement and threats, and some potentially relevant constitutional limitations under the First Amendment, all of which are beyond the scope of this Sidebar. So too are the laws of the District of Columbia, under which numerous charges have already been announced.
 

 This Sidebar focuses, instead, on three specific categories of federal criminal statutes that may have been violated by some of the participants in the unrest at the Capitol: (1) crimes involving federal property; (2) crimes against persons; and (3) crimes against government authority. (Additionally, though not discussed further in this Sidebar, inchoate crimes like attempt or conspiracy to commit the substantive crimes described below or other crimes, as well as accomplice liability, may be relevant)..."
Federal Crime Law 

The Social Security Administration’s Death Data: In Brief

"The Social Security Administration (SSA) acquires and maintains death data to administer the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs, including preventing the improper payment of benefits to deceased individuals and identifying individuals who are potentially eligible for survivor benefits. SSA collects death data from sources such as state vital statistics bureaus, funeral home directors, family members, and financial institutions and adds about 2.9 million new death reports to its records each year. These records prevent over $50 million in Social Security and SSI improper payments each month.1

SSA, under authority granted and limitations imposed by the Social Security Act, shares its death information with qualifying federal and state agencies for particular programmatic purposes and with certain external parties for research and statistical purposes. SSA also provides a limited extract of its death data, referred to as the Death Master File (DMF), to the Department of Commerce’s National Technical Information Service (NTIS), which in turn distributes it to authorized users. The DMF contains only those death records obtained from non-state sources. Until the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), on December 27, 2020, SSA did not have legal authority to share its full file of death information (which includes state-reported deaths) with the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay (DNP) portal, a centralized hub that would permit access by numerous federal agencies. However, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, includes a requirement for SSA to share its full file of death information (including state-reported death data) with DNP for a period of three years beginning three years after enactment and also provides for recipient agencies (including DNP) to fully reimburse SSA for the cost of both obtaining and sharing death data.
 

 Recently, the Treasury Department’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) used SSA’s death data to prevent payment of economic impact payments (EIPs, also known as “recovery rebates” or “stimulus payments”) to deceased individuals under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, P.L. 116-136). IRS had initially determined that the payment of EIPs to deceased individuals was not prohibited, because the CARES Act was silent on the issue. After consulting with counsel, the Treasury Department and the IRS determined that individuals who were deceased as of the date the payment was made were not entitled to EIPs. Subsequently, the BFS stopped issuing EIPs to deceased individuals and cancelled outstanding checks issued to deceased individuals, and the IRS posted instructions for the repayment of EIPs that were issued to deceased individuals. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), includes a second round of payments or which individuals who died before January 1, 2020, are ineligible. The IRS indicates that, for eligible individuals who died in 2020, the second round payment may be claimed as the Recovery Rebate Credit on line 30 of their 2020 tax returns..."
Social Security 

CICILLINE, LIEU, RASKIN INTRODUCE ARTICLE OF IMPEACHMENT CHARGING TRUMP WITH INCITEMENT OF INSURRECTION

"U.S. Congressmen David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Ted Lieu (CA-33), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) introduced an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump this morning. The impeachment resolution is sponsored by Cicilline, with Lieu and Raskin serving as the two lead co-sponsors. It is also co-sponsored by another 211 members of the U.S. House.

The article of impeachment charges the outgoing President with a count of “Incitement of Insurrection” for his actions on January 6, 2021, when he delivered a speech inciting his supporters to lay siege to the United States Capitol, an action that temporarily halted the counting of Electoral College votes and resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including an officer of the United States Capitol Police.

“Last Wednesday marked one of the darkest days in the history of our country. After months of agitation and propaganda against the results of the 2020 election, the United States Capitol – the citadel of our democracy – was attacked as President Trump’s supporters attempted to stage a coup and overturn the results of our free and fair presidential election,” said the members, who serve together on the House Judiciary Committee. “We cannot allow this unprecedented provocation to go unanswered. Everyone involved in this assault must be held accountable, beginning with the man most responsible for it – President Donald Trump. We cannot begin to heal the soul of this country without first delivering swift justice to all its enemies – foreign and domestic.”

A copy of the article of impeachment introduced today can be downloaded by clicking here..."
House Articles of Impeachment 

Stalking: Know it. Name it. Stop it.

"Stalking affects millions of women and men in the United States.

Stalking occurs when someone repeatedly harasses or threatens someone else, causing fear or safety concerns. Most often, stalking occurs by someone the victim knows or with whom they had an intimate relationship.

Help prevent stalking by knowing the warning signs and how to get help.

Facts about Stalking

According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS):

• Stalking is common. About 1 in 6 women and 1 in 17 men have experienced stalking in their lifetimes.
• Stalking starts early. Nearly 54% of female victims and 41% of male victims experienced stalking before the age of 25.
• Stalking impacts the physical and mental health of victims. Research shows stalking can lead to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. About 68% of female and 70% of male victims experienced threats of physical harm during their lifetime.

Common Stalking Tactics

Stalking tactics can include:

• Unwanted phone calls
• Unwanted emails, instant messages, text messages, voice messages, or social media messages
• Approaching a victim or showing up unwanted, such as at the victim’s home, workplace, or school
• Leaving strange or potentially threatening items for the victim to find
• Watching, following, or tracking a victim
• Sneaking into the victim’s home or car and doing things to scare the victim or let them know the perpetrator had been there.."
  Stalking 

Nonalcoholic Beverage Consumption Among Adults: United States, 2015–2018

"Key findings

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

• In 2015–2018, water accounted for more than one-half of total nonalcoholic beverage consumption (51.2%) among U.S. adults.
• Compared with women, men consumed more coffee, sweetened beverages, and fruit beverages as a percentage of total beverage consumption, and less water and tea.
• The contribution of water and sweetened beverages to total beverage consumption decreased with age, while the contribution of coffee, tea, milk, and diet beverages increased with age.
• The contribution of water (60.7%) and tea (13.6%) to total beverage consumption was highest among non-Hispanic Asian adults, while the contribution of coffee (17.3%) was highest among non-Hispanic white adults.

Beverages play a substantial role in meeting total water intake needs and are a major contributor to overall nutrient and caloric intake for the U.S. population (1,2). The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that water, fat-free and low-fat milk, and 100% juice be the primary beverages consumed (2). This report provides estimates of the contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption, by grams, for U.S. adults..."
Beverage Consumption 

Presidential Disability Under the TwentyFifth Amendment: Constitutional Provisions and Perspectives for Congress

"Sections 3 and 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provide for presidential disability or inability.

Section 3 of the amendment sets the procedure whereby a President may declare himself or herself “unable to discharge the powers and duties” of the office by transmitting a written declaration to this effect to the President pro tempore of the Senate (President pro tem) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Speaker). For the duration of the disability, the Vice President discharges the President’s powers and duties as Acting President. When the President transmits “a written declaration to the contrary” to the President pro tem and the Speaker, he or she resumes the powers and duties of the office. Section 3 is intended to cover either unanticipated disability, such as injury or illness, or anticipated disability, such as medical treatment. It has been activated three times under circumstances in which the President underwent general anesthesia for medical treatment. It was informally implemented by President Ronald Reagan in 1985 and was formally implemented twice by President George W. Bush, in 2002 and 2007, under similar circumstances.

Section 4 provides for instances of contingent presidential disability. It was intended by the Twenty-Fifth Amendment’s authors to provide for cases in which a President was unable or unwilling to declare a disability. In these circumstances, the section authorizes the Vice President and a majority of either the Cabinet, or such other body established by law (a presidential disability review body), acting jointly, to declare the President to be disabled. When they transmit a written message to this effect to the President pro tem and the Speaker, the Vice President immediately assumes the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

If the President, at a time of his choice, transmits a written message to the President pro tem and the Speaker that no disability exists, he or she resumes office. The Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet or disability review body may, however, contest this finding by a written declaration to the contrary to the aforementioned officers, delivered within four days of the President’s declaration. Congress then decides the question, assembling within 48 hours if it is not in session. If Congress decides by a two-thirds vote of both houses that the President is unable to discharge the duties of the office, the Vice President continues as Acting President until the disability is resolved. If the two-thirds margin is not obtained, or if Congress is in session at the time but does not vote on the question within 21 days of receiving the requisite declaration, then the President resumes the powers and duties of the office. Similarly, if Congress is not in session at the time, and assembles as required by Section 4, but does not vote within 21 days of the day on which it is required to assemble, then the President resumes the powers and duties of the office..."
Twenty Fifth Amendment 

Executive Order on Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence

"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1.  Purpose.  The first duty of government is to ensure domestic tranquility and defend the life, property, and rights of its citizens.  Over the last 5 weeks, there has been a sustained assault on the life and property of civilians, law enforcement officers, government property, and revered American monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial.  Many of the rioters, arsonists, and left-wing extremists who have carried out and supported these acts have explicitly identified themselves with ideologies — such as Marxism — that call for the destruction of the United States system of government.

Anarchists and left-wing extremists have sought to advance a fringe ideology that paints the United States of America as fundamentally unjust and have sought to impose that ideology on Americans through violence and mob intimidation.  They have led riots in the streets, burned police vehicles, killed and assaulted government officers as well as business owners defending their property, and even seized an area within one city where law and order gave way to anarchy.  During the unrest, innocent citizens also have been harmed and killed.

These criminal acts are frequently planned and supported by agitators who have traveled across State lines to promote their own violent agenda.  These radicals shamelessly attack the legitimacy of our institutions and the very rule of law itself.

Key targets in the violent extremists’ campaign against our country are public monuments, memorials, and statues.  Their selection of targets reveals a deep ignorance of our history, and is indicative of a desire to indiscriminately destroy anything that honors our past and to erase from the public mind any suggestion that our past may be worth honoring, cherishing, remembering, or understanding.  In the last week, vandals toppled a statue of President Ulysses S. Grant in San Francisco.  To them, it made no difference that President Grant led the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the Civil War, enforced Reconstruction, fought the Ku Klux Klan, and advocated for the Fifteenth Amendment, which guaranteed freed slaves the right to vote.  In Charlotte, North Carolina, the names of 507 veterans memorialized on a World War II monument were painted over with a symbol of communism.  And earlier this month, in Boston, a memorial commemorating an African-American regiment that fought in the Civil War was defaced with graffiti.  In Madison, Wisconsin, rioters knocked over the statue of an abolitionist immigrant who fought for the Union during the Civil War.  Christian figures are now in the crosshairs, too.  Recently, an influential activist for one movement that has been prominent in setting the agenda for demonstrations in recent weeks declared that many existing religious depictions of Jesus and the Holy Family should be purged from our places of worship.

Individuals and organizations have the right to peacefully advocate for either the removal or the construction of any monument.  But no individual or group has the right to damage, deface, or remove any monument by use of force.

In the midst of these attacks, many State and local governments appear to have lost the ability to distinguish between the lawful exercise of rights to free speech and assembly and unvarnished vandalism.  They have surrendered to mob rule, imperiling community safety, allowing for the wholesale violation of our laws, and privileging the violent impulses of the mob over the rights of law-abiding citizens.  Worse, they apparently have lost the will or the desire to stand up to the radical fringe and defend the fundamental truth that America is good, her people are virtuous, and that justice prevails in this country to a far greater extent than anywhere else in the world.  Some particularly misguided public officials even appear to have accepted the idea that violence can be virtuous and have prevented their police from enforcing the law and protecting public monuments, memorials, and statues from the mob’s ropes and graffiti.

My Administration will not allow violent mobs incited by a radical fringe to become the arbiters of the aspects of our history that can be celebrated in public spaces.  State and local public officials’ abdication of their law enforcement responsibilities in deference to this violent assault must end...."
Issued..
June 26, 2020...
Protecting American Monuments, Memorials......