1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

The insurrection on January 6th, 2021 was an unconscionable attack on American democracy. Those involved attempted to violently overturn the results of a free and fair election through force. Providing funds to cover legal costs for the rioters would be an affront to the rule of law and a misuse of taxpayer money. These individuals must be held fully accountable for their actions that day, which resulted in deaths, injuries, and damage to the Capitol building. Do you remember running for your life? Do you remember returning to ransacked offices? Returning restitution payments for convicted individuals in this case shows the DOJ has no respect for Congress, for the democratic process, or for your safety. Stand with your colleagues against this wasteful foolishness. Allowing them to avoid consequences would only embolden future acts of politically-motivated violence and lawlessness. It is imperative that we uphold our democratic principles and the peaceful transfer of power. The proposed reimbursement plan undermines these fundamental values and must be rejected.