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In Response to Racist Terrorism in Charlottesville, Jayapal Introduces Resolution Demanding President Trump Fire White Supremacists from the White House

SEATTLE – In the aftermath of the white supremacist “Unite the Right” rally and the domestic terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal – joined by 31 members of Congress – introduced a resolution urging President Trump to strongly condemn white nationalists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and other hate groups responsible for the violence, and to remove from the White House and the Trump administration individuals, including Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller and Sebastian Gorka, who support white supremacists.

“When the president fails to swiftly condemn white supremacist terrorism, it’s imperative that Congress steps up and says clearly: Hate is not welcome, hate is un-American and we will strongly resist hate wherever it appears,” said Rep. Jayapal.

“White supremacy must be uprooted from our society, but the president has elevated white nationalists to the highest posts of government. It’s time to get these people out of the White House. Donald Trump must unequivocally condemn hate groups and remove from the administration individuals who espouse bigotry or support white supremacists,” Jayapal continued. “Enough is enough. The president needs to take decisive action.”

On Friday night in Charlottesville, Virginia, white supremacists with tiki torches, rifles, and Confederate and swastika flags marched through the University of Virginia campus ahead of a “Unite the Right” rally on Saturday. Peaceful demonstrators gathered to protest this hate, but violence erupted. On Saturday, white supremacists and counter-protesters again gathered and a similar scene unfolded when, in an act of terrorism, a driver sped up and plowed his car into the crowd, killing one counter-protester and injuring 19. Two police officers monitoring the events in Charlottesville also died when their helicopter crashed.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, hate crimes have surged in recent years. Instead of addressing the problem head on, President Trump and his administration have pursued a xenophobic agenda attacking communities of color and rolling back decades of civil rights progress.

The resolution is co-sponsored by 31 members of Congress: Reps. Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Alcee Hastings (FL-20), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Adam Smith (WA-09), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Andre Carson (IN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Judy Chu (CA-27), Bill Foster (IL-11), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-11), John Delaney (MD-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Don Beyer (VA-08), Brendan Boyle (PA-13), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Dwight Evans (PA-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) and Al Lawson (FL-05).

Jayapal’s resolution:

  • Condemns the role of white supremacist, neo-Nazi, KKK and other hate groups in the “Unite the Right” rally and domestic terror attack in Charlottesville, Virginia;
  • Denounces the increase in organizing, fear-mongering, racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry and violence perpetrated by white supremacists, neo-Nazis, the KKK and other hate groups;
  • Offers condolences and sympathies to the families of Heather Heyer, Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, and urges a quick recovery to those injured;
  • Strongly urges the president to:
    • Fire individuals in the White House and Trump administration who have supported or encouraged support for white supremacists;
    • Quickly and publicly repudiate and denounce white supremacist, neo-Nazi, KKK and other hate groups;
    • Use all available resources of the Office of the President and the Cabinet to address the growing prevalence of such hate groups domestically;
    • Use his office to unite all Americans against hate.

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

Issues: