Screengrab shows a photo of a protester Wednesday in the office of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Staff Report

WARSAW – Elected leaders in both parties denounced the historic violence by supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday in a violent afternoon that left one person dead.

The following comments were issued – most through social media – in the aftermath of the insurrection.

Mike Pence, vice president, from comments on the floor of the Senate Wednesday night.

Mike Pence, Vice President

To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today: You did not win. Violence never wins. Freedom wins. And this is still the people’s house. As we reconvene … the world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy.

Jackie Walorski, 2nd District US Rep.
Every American has the right to exercise their First Amendment rights, but violence and destruction are never the answer.
Stop these attacks on our country now and keep the protests peaceful.
Grateful to the U.S. Capitol Police for protecting everyone in our Capitol.

Jim Banks, 3rd District US Rep.
Peaceful protest is healthy, but what is happening at the U.S. Capitol right now is unacceptable and un-American. Those participating in lawlessness and violence must be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Gov. Eric Holcomb, who reacted during his weekly news conference

Eric Holcomb

I’m of two minds about this time in history. I’m reminded about in the ‘60s and early ‘70s. We were going through a pretty rough patch as well. And when you think about Martin Luther King and RFK and JFK, Vietnam, the ’68 Democratic Convention, Kent State as a string, I’m pretty thankful my parents were optimistic about the future, and I maybe get it from them. And this country is strong and resilient and to me this is a reminder for all of us that we can ourselves model good conduct. We can still fight for our country in a very responsible and compassionate and heartfelt way, and we should. But we’ve been here before. We were here in the 1860s, we were here in the 1960s and maybe we’re just a little premature a century later. But we’re gonna get through it, but it’s going to require folks to step up and show there’s another way and there’s a productive way and that we need to stick to those principles that made this country great and unique and exceptional in the first place.

Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader

I want to say to the American people: The United States Senate will not be intimidated,” McConnell said as the Senate reconvened following the insurrection. “We will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs or threats. We will not bow to lawlessness or intimidation.”
He continued: The United States and the United States Congress have faced down much greater threats than the unhinged crowd we saw today. We’ve never been deterred before, and we’ll be not deterred today. They tried to disrupt our democracy; they failed. They failed.

Mitt Romney, US Sen.
What happened here today was an insurrection, incited by the President of the United States.

Lindsey Graham, US Sen.
I could not agree more with President-elect Biden’s statement to the nation. Time to retake the Capitol, end the violence, & stop the madness. 

Ilhan Omar, US Rep.
I am drawing up Articles of Impeachment. Donald J. Trump should be impeached by the House of Representatives & removed from office by the United States Senate.
We can’t allow him to remain in office, it’s a matter of preserving our Republic and we need to fulfill our oath.

Mark Souder, former US Congressman from northeast Indiana

The people who are breaching the Capitol are a shame to any cause they represent. They cannot claim to want America to be great again: they are a threat to America’s foundation. They should be condemned by every person who claims to be a conservative or any sort of Republican. NOW.