A letter signed by more than 100 conservative leaders was released today by the Conservative Action Project in support of the 8 U.S. Senators and 139 U.S. House Members who followed the Constitutional process in elector certification procedures. The letter makes clear that those represented in this letter, including the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women, condemn “with equal vigor” the violent actions “that took place at the United States Capitol last week” and rioters over the summer.

January 14, 2021
Washington, D.C.

Conservatives condemn the violent actions that took place at the United States Capitol last week. Our self-government is founded upon the rule of law, and violence as a form of protest is never acceptable. Unlike most Democrats, we condemned the violent actions of rioters over the summer. We condemn the recent violence with equal vigor.

But one thing is also clear: the actions of 8 Senators and 139 House members, including Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Ted Cruz, and many others, who intended to or did debate the certification of certain states’ 2020 electors is not, and never will be, tantamount to violence. The right and ability to object to electoral certification is written into the Constitution and housed in the procedural rights of those who represent us.

It is why Democrats in the House, and in one case, the Senate, rose to object to elections in 2001, 2005, and as recently as 2017. Those Democrats – which include currently sitting Reps. Clyburn, Davis, Grijalva, Hastings, Jackson-Lee, Lee, Pallone, Schakowsky, Thompson, and Waters– were not assigned motives of treason, or sedition, or violent overthrow of the government, and for good reason. Our representatives using the constitutional and procedural rights afforded to them as elected officials is not, by definition, an incitement to violence.

Our self-government exists to deliberate, debate, and resolve issues of consequence to the country. Exiling or in any way punishing those who try to use the bodies as they were intended – as national forums where voters see their concerns raised and considered in a democratic fashion – will diminish what has made our republic strong. It sets a precedent that foreshadows a dangerous disintegration of the consensus that has held us together: a respect for dissent, a vigorous but respectful airing of views, and peaceable resolution by democratic means.

Moreover, we reject opportunistic attempts by some to use last week’s events as a pretext to dismiss legitimate concerns about election irregularities, and illegal and unconstitutional actions. The 2020 election was conducted in an unprecedented manner: largely by mail, and in a way that overwhelmed the capacities of many states. It is not at all unreasonable to review the manner in which votes were counted.

Indeed, if the goal is to restore faith in future elections, then a comprehensive review and analysis to determine what went wrong, what went right, and what is in need of reform should be a critical next step.

The violence committed at the Capitol was reprehensible and without defense. The overwhelming majority of protestors were peaceful, however, and did not participate in criminal activities. They are still Americans, their concerns still matter, and they cannot be wished away by legislators as inconvenient.

Our politics should be where we solve problems. It should not be a forum for violence, or for politically motivated purges. Moving forward from here will require more speech, not less; more deliberation, not demagoguery. Moves to punish or to exile will not build us up, they will only serve to marginalize, radicalize and destroy. We urge all our leaders – and all conservatives – to oppose them.


The Honorable Edwin Meese III
Attorney General
President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988)
Alfred S. Regnery
Chairman, Conservative Action Project
President, Republic Book Publishers
The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell
Chairman
Constitutional Congress, Inc.
The Honorable Bob McEwen
U.S. House of Representatives
Former Member, Ohio
The Honorable Jim DeMint
Chairman, Conservative Partnership Institute
Member, US Senate (SC 2005-2013)
Ed Corrigan
Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project
President & CEO, Conservative Partnership Institute
Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq.
Chairman, CNP Action, Inc.
President and CEO, First Liberty Institute
David Bozell
President
ForAmerica
The Honorable Morton C. Blackwell
President
The Leadership Institute
L. Brent Bozell, III
Founder and President
Media Research Center
Wesley Denton
Chief Operating Officer
Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI)
Penny Y. Nance
President & CEO
Concerned Women for America
Herman Pirchner, Jr.
Founding President
American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC)
The Honorable Colin A. Hanna
President
Let Freedom Ring, Inc.
Jenny Beth Martin
Chairman
Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund
The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop
White House Advisor
President Ronald Reagan (1981-1985)
Rachel Bovard
Senior Director of Policy
Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI)
William L. Walton
President
Council for National Policy
Mary Vought
Executive Director
Senate Conservatives Fund
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr.
Chief Domestic Advisor
President Ronald Reagan (1987-1988)
The Honorable Donald Paul Hodel
U.S. Secretary of Energy (1982-1985)
U.S. Secretary of Interior (1985-1989)
The Honorable Matt Schlapp
Chairman
American Conservative Union (ACU)
Marjorie Dannenfelser
President
Susan B. Anthony List
Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.)
Executive Vice President
Family Research Council
The Honorable Tony Perkins
President
Family Research Council
Daniel Schneider
Executive Director
American Conservative Union (ACU)
Myron Ebell
Leader, EPA Team
Trump Transition (2016-17)
Frank J. Gaffney
Executive Chairman
Center for Security Policy
Stephen Stockman
U.S. House of Representatives
Former Member, Texas
William Shaker
CEO
Washington Marking Group
Anne Schlafly Cori
Chairman
Eagle Forum
Eunie Smith
President Emeritus
Eagle Forum
Colleen Holcomb
President
Eagle Forum
Judson Phillips
Founder
Tea Party Nation
Dr. Teryn B. Clarke
Neurologist
Newport Beach
Kevin Freeman
Founder
NSIC Institute
Benjamin R. Case
Private Citizen
Sal Russo
Co-Founder and Chief Strategist
Tea Party Express
Troy J. Andrews
CEO
Paradigm Midstream, LLC
Karen England
Executive Director
Capitol Resource Institute
Richard Wright
Owner
R & S LLC
The Honorable Gary L. Bauer
President
American Values
Lori Roman
President
American Constitutional Rights Union Action
Ron Pearson
Executive Director
Conservative Victory Fund
Marcia G. Taylor
CEO
Bennett Family of Companies
Gerard Kassar
State Chairman
NYS Conservative Party
Richard G. Scurry
VP Business Development
14all, Inc.
Mat Staver
Chairman
Liberty Counsel Action
Seton Motley
President
Less Government
J. Christian Adams
President
Public Interest Legal Foundation
Jack Park
Conservative Activist and Donor
Law Offices of Jack Park
Dr. Richard Rounsavelle
Trustee
Media Research Center
Kielle C. Horton
President
The Lindsey Foundation
Willes K. Lee
President
National Federation of Republican Assemblies
The Honorable Diana Denman
Presidential Appointee/President Ronald Reagan
The Reagan Legacy Forum
Saulius “Saul” Anuzis
President
60 Plus Association
James L. Martin
Founder & Chairman
60 Plus Association
Donald L. Woodsmall
Managing Member
Arromid, LLC
Michelle Easton
President
Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women
Rick Scarborough
President
Recover America Now
Mike Davis
Founder and President
Article III Project (A3P)
Kay R. Daly
President
Coalition for a Fair Judiciary
Khadine Ritter
Chairman
Eagle Forum of Ohio
G. Eric Georgatos
Executive Producer
America Can We Talk?
Reverend Frank Pavone
National Director
Priests for Life
Dr. Alejandro Antonio Chafuen
Chairman and Acting President
Hispanic American Center for Economic Research
Rob Chambers
Vice President
AFA Action
Rob Gluskin
Managing Partner
Gluskin Investment Partners
C. Preston Noell III
President
Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
William W. Pascoe, III
Board Member
Tea Party Patriots Action
Chad Connelly
President
Faith Wins
Art Ally
President
Timothy Partners, Ltd.
Richard Norman
Founder and President
The Richard Norman Company
The Honorable George K. Rasley Jr.
Managing Editor
ConservativeHQ.com
Robert Keith Fischer
Meeting Coordinator
Conservatives of Faith
Joan Holt Lindsey
President
Lindsey Communications
The Honorable Peter J. Thomas
Chairman
The Conservative Caucus
Terry Schilling
Executive Director
American Principles Project
Bill Shaker
CEO
Washington Marketing Group
Lee Beaman
CEO
Beaman Ventures
Barbara LedeenBill Johnson
President
American Decency Association
Ron Robinson
President
Young America’s Foundation
Leigh Bortins
Owner
Classical Conversations
Dr. Christopher C. Hull
Senior Fellow
Americans for Intelligence Reform
Rick Manning
President
Americans for Limited Government
Robyn Sachs
President
RMR & Associates
Lewis K. Uhler
Founder and President
National Tax Limitation Committee
David Hirsch
Managing Director
RSI Realty
Amapola Hansberger
President
Legal Immigrants for America
Andresen Blom
President
Hawaiian Values
Rebecca Hagelin
CEO
United in Purpose
Elaine Donnelly
President
Center for Military Readiness
Paavo Ensio
Chairman
Universal Minerals Group
Sandy Rios
Director of Governmental Affairs
American Family Association
Dr. Daphne Patai
Emeritus Professor
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Don L. (Bebo) Lee
President
New Mexico Federal Lands Council
Caren Cowan
Publisher
New Mexico Stockman magazine
Tim Throckmorton
President
Lifepointe Ministries
Dr. Jeffrey Satinover
Managing Director
Sterling Institute
Floyd Brown
President
Western Center for Journalism
The Honorable Eileen J. O’Connor
Founder
Law Office of Hon. Eileen J. O’Connor PLLC
Paul Gessing
President
Rio Grande Foundation
Randy M. Long
Founder
Long Business Advisors, LL
John Richardson
President
Protect Americans Now
Jeffrey B. Mendell
Chairman & CEO
JBM Realty
James R. Tovar
Development Director
National Legal and Policy Center
Dr. Donald van der Vaart
Senior Fellow
John Locke Foundation
Nancy Schulze
Founder, President
Republican Congressional Wives Speakers
Tim Wildmon
President
American Family Association
The Honorable Mark Finchem
State Representative
Arizona Legislature
Bradley Johnson
President
Americans for Intelligence Reform
Simina Farcasiu
Founder and CEO
Lower48 Analytics
Debra Burlingame
Co-founder
9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America
George C. Landrith
President
Frontiers of Freedom
Karen Hartman
Paralegal
Heartbeat International
Clare Lopez
Founder/President
Lopez Liberty LLC

All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only.