Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Bipartisan Need To Address The Rising Tide Of Political Violence And Its Root Causes

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor following the arrest of the suspect in this weekend’s deadly shooting of Minnesota lawmakers, condemning the broader rise of political violence across the country and urging leaders from both parties to work together to address its root causes. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Last night, law enforcement apprehended the man suspected in the assassination of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the shooting of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife.

We in the Senate thank our law enforcement for their remarkable work in bringing the attacker into custody. As we’ve all seen, the attacker planned to continue his killing spree had he not been thwarted, and had a list of [reportedly] 70 public officials potentially targeted for violence, including members of the Senate.

Naturally, a number of members in the Senate remain profoundly shaken.

The victims were friends of our colleagues from Minnesota. Some of them were together at dinner the night before the shooting.

To think that one moment you can celebrate each other’s company, laugh and joke and share a meal or a drink, only for violence to strike the next moment, makes all of us sick to our stomachs. It is haunting.

My prayers are with the families of the victims.

I am heartbroken for the loss of Representative Hortman and her husband. I can’t get their faces out of my mind.

On the other hand, I am glad to hear Senator Hoffman and his wife are making progress towards recovery. May God bless them all and their loved ones.

Now, as we convene, I want to start with this: my highest priority right now is working with Senate leadership on both sides, the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and Capitol Police to ensure everyone’s safety.

This weekend, I asked Capitol police and the Sergeant at Arms to increase the security for members, including Senator Padilla and the Minnesota Senators.

Knowing that the Sergeant at Arms, her entire operation, and the Capitol Police are there to help us right now is comforting.

Tomorrow, the Senate will also hold an all-members briefing, organized at my request and that of Leader Thune, with the Sergeant at Arms to talk about security for members.

The Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police are doing an outstanding job, and have bent over backwards under difficult circumstances to keep everyone safe.

Tomorrow’s briefing will be a chance for them to convey what they’re doing for members to keep them safe.

Second, I’d like to take a moment and step back and share a quick word on the events of this weekend – the good and bad alike.

On one hand, this weekend we witnessed one of the largest peaceful demonstrations in American history.

Nearly five million Americans took to the streets and made their voices heard against the rise of authoritarianism on our shores.

I was proud to be one of them.

We gathered in the streets. We gathered in front of state capitols. We gathered on beaches and at national parks and in cities and in towns, big and small alike.

For the most part, the demonstrations were peaceful.

In some cities, there were acts of unlawful disruption, and those who broke the law should be held accountable. I’ve always been clear that the right to free speech is fundamental but must be exercised peacefully.

But again, for the most part, the millions who marched this weekend did so peacefully. In many cities, there wasn’t a single instance of lawbreaking.

In fact, the demonstrations were much more than simply peaceful. They were inspiring.

After all the attacks we have seen this year against our institutions and our values, it is so comforting to know that the roots of democracy run deep in this country. 

And even though we may disagree fiercely, the marches remind us we can stand up for our country and our democracy while still keeping the peace.

What happened in Minnesota, however, should be a warning: political violence is not just on the rise in America, it is becoming all too normal. And it falls on all of us to stop it.

When lawmakers are shot in their own home, when a governor’s mansion is set ablaze, when the spouse of the Speaker of the House is nearly beat to death, when a violent mob storms the U.S. Capitol, and when a gunman tries to assassinate the president of the United States, it’s not enough to just condemn these acts and move on.

We need to recognize something needs to change.

Condemning violence is only the first step. It’s a necessary, but first step. We must all work together to address the violence and its root causes.

We must take a serious look at the toxic forces that are radicalizing too many Americans into embracing violence.

Most of all, when violence strikes, the answer is for us to come together, regardless of party.

That’s especially important for U.S. Senators.

Sadly, we didn’t see that this weekend.

I wish I didn’t have to say this, but I was deeply disappointed and sickened to see a member of this chamber use the tragedy in Minnesota to take cheap political shots at the other side on social media, and risk escalating a perilous moment.

What the Senior Senator from Utah posted after the shooting was reckless and beneath the dignity of his office.

For a Senator to fan the flames of division with falsities, while the killer was still on the loose, is deeply irresponsible. He should take his posts down and immediately apologize to the families of the victims.

And this isn’t even about politics. This is about simple human decency.

Our divisions run deep, but we are still all Americans. We may disagree sometimes, many times, maybe most of the time, but we’re still human beings.

The victims this weekend, no matter what party they belonged to, still leave behind kids who now will never speak to their parents ever again.

So, I say to my colleagues – now is the time to speak with moral clarity.

Every single one of us must condemn political violence no matter where it comes from, and to work together to eradicate its root causes. We cannot be silent, because silence only serves to enable more violence.

And in the meantime, I will continue to work with Leader Thune, with the Capitol Police, the Sergeant at Arms, and all my colleagues to ensure the safety of every Senator and our staffs.

This is a dark moment for America, but I believe firmly in my bones that we will endure.

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