‘Stop this now.’ SC Republican leaders sound off as pro-Trump rioters breach Capitol
Former White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, both prominent South Carolinians who served in the Trump administration, sounded off on Twitter as pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol building.
Mulvaney said President Donald Trump’s tweet to protesters to “remain peaceful” was “not enough.”
“He can stop this now and needs to do exactly that,” tweeted Mulvaney, a former Congreeman who represented South Carolina’s 5th District. “Tell these folks to go home.”
Mulvaney’s tweet came at about 3 p.m., as rioters broke windows at the Capitol building, stormed the House and Senate chambers and fired shots inside of the building, according to reporters. Rioters overtook the building as members of the U.S. House and Senate debated whether to certify an election win for President-Elect Joe Biden.
The rioters gathered outside of the Capitol Wednesday morning to hold a rally in support of Republican lawmakers who vowed to object to the certification of a Biden win. Trump himself spoke at the rally, urging protesters to march on the Capitol hours before they actually did.
“We will never concede,” Trump said ahead of the joint session of Congress.
As rioters began clashing with police, Mulvaney tweeted that the president “needs to discourage any violence immediately.”
Former Gov. Nikki Haley, though, struck a softer tone and didn’t criticize Trump.
“Every American has the right to peacefully protest. What’s happening right now at the U.S. Capitol building is wrong and un-American,” Haley tweeted at about 3 p.m. “We are better than that.”
Later, Haley quote-tweeted a tweet saying that dictators across the world are “loving” the riots at the Capitol.
“An embarrassment in the eyes of the world and total sadness for our country. Wake up America,” Haley said in her quote-tweet.
What other prominent South Carolinians had to say:
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican: “It is hard to believe what we are seeing at our beloved Capitol. We should be alarmed - but also deeply saddened. Protest is honored, but violence cannot be tolerated. Those who believe in America should leave the building immediately. The rule of law must prevail.”
The South Carolina Republican Party: “We’re blessed to live in a land with a Constitution that protects our right to peacefully protest our government, but violence from any side always hurts the cause of any protest.”
Former S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican: “What’s occurring now in our Capitol is an abomination to democratic principles, what the Founding Fathers created and what American servicemen and women have fought to protect for over 200 years. If President Trump believed in these American precepts, he would be speaking up now. It’s past time for some modicum of leadership from the White House.”
S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican: “As I watch events unfold at the U.S. Capitol, I am deeply saddened. Peaceful protests and the expression of political beliefs are fundamentally American. However, violence undermines the intended cause of any protest and should never be tolerated. We must come together as a nation, not fracture in lawlessness.”
U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Peter McCoy: “The job of the (U.S. Attorney’s Office of South Carolina) is substantial but simple: defend the Constitution, impartially enforce the rule of law, & protect the public against all enemies foreign AND domestic. Those who gather for purposes of violence & destruction should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
Former U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-Mt. Pleasant: “You lied to the American (people) and told them the election was stolen. You spread conspiracy theories about voter fraud you knew didn’t exist. You poured gas on a fire that now you can’t put out. Our country is better than this and we’re better than the politicians who caused this.”
S.C. Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington: “When Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley come here in 2024 asking for my help they can kiss my ass. What has happened today in our Capitol stains our history and we should not forget that it was enabled and fueled by opportunists who ignored the possible consequences for their own ambitions.”
S.C. Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter: “This is not just a ‘sad’ day for our country; it’s a treacherous and treasonous attempt at a coup at our nation’s Capitol.”
Jamie Harrison, former S.C. Democratic Party chairman: “I worked on the floor of the House & my office was in the Capitol. I’m overcome w/ emotions watching this chaos. That old building represents the hope of America & these images are disheartening. Folks yelled fire in a crowded theater for 4 yrs & are now shocked to see the chaos.”
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, a Democrat who also is a former president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors; “Angry. Upset. Disappointed. But not surprised. Words matter. Leadership matters. Today will remain as a stain on the republic and do lasting damage to our standing in the world. The men & women who built this country—our children—deserve better.”
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 3:58 PM.
