Golden Statement on Violence in the Capitol and Electoral College Certification

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement today following hours of violence in which a mob overtook the United States Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election:

"I have been present on the Capitol grounds throughout the duration of today's chaos, and I will remain here until Congress completes its duty to certify the results of the presidential election. My colleagues and I agree that we will do this tonight to demonstrate that today's lawlessness will not stop us from fulfilling our oaths to uphold the Constitution.

"This is a sad day for our country. Donald Trump called for these rallies, and he helped incite them to riot with his speech today. While we should not be surprised by the president's actions — he has been signaling his intentions for months — he should be held accountable for today's violence. But regardless of whether or not Congress can agree to act to hold the president accountable, make no mistake: he will be removed from office on January 20, and Joe Biden will assume the presidency.

"Today's events, while tragic, also present us with opportunities. The opportunity to stare into the ugly depths of what could lie ahead if we continue down this partisan and angry path. The opportunity to choose a different path and to recommit ourselves to our democracy, to our country, and to our fellow Americans. I hope that we choose to come together to seize these opportunities.

"What happened at the Capitol today should make clear to all Americans that our democracy is fragile and should not be taken for granted. We are a nation of laws that govern our daily lives, including how we organize our elections. But we are also a nation of free men and women who can choose to obey those laws or not. No laws can govern our peaceful existence and the safety of our democracy unless we also deliberately choose to preserve both ideals for ourselves and for future generations." - Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)