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Former US Presidents Denounce Capitol Violence

  Every living former US president on Wednesday denounced the violence of a mob that stormed the Capitol building in Washington, forcing lawmakers to flee … Continue reading Former US Presidents Denounce Capitol Violence


(FILES) In this file photo taken on October 21, 2017, (L-R) George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton attend the Hurricane Relief concert in College Station, Texas. – Obama, Bush and Bill Clinton are volunteering to take a coronavirus vaccine on camera if it will help promote public confidence. Obama, in an interview with SiriusXM radio, said he would be inoculated if top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci signs off on a Covid-19 vaccine. Freddy Ford, Bush’s chief of staff, told CNN the former president also wanted to help promote vaccination. Angel Urena, Clinton’s press secretary, told CNN the former president would also be willing to take a vaccine in public on television. (Photo by JIM CHAPIN / AFP)
In this file photo taken on October 21, 2017, (L-R) former US Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama attend the Hurricane Relief concert in College Station, Texas. (Photo by JIM CHAPIN / AFP)

 

Every living former US president on Wednesday denounced the violence of a mob that stormed the Capitol building in Washington, forcing lawmakers to flee to safety and leaving one woman dead.

The crowd, made up of supporters of President Donald Trump, opposed the certification underway in Congress of Joe Biden’s presidential election win in November.

George W. Bush called out fellow Republicans for fueling the “insurrection,” likening the situation to a “banana republic.”

“I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions and our law enforcement,” Bush’s statement said, in a barely veiled swipe at Trump.

READ ALSO: US Congress Certifies Joe Biden As Winner Of Presidential Election Despite Mob Violence

Barack Obama also blamed Republicans and Trump, “who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election,” he said in a statement.

Trump’s most recent predecessor called the incident “a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation.”

“But we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise,” Obama said, calling the events of the day “the consequences” of Trump and his supporters refusing to accept the results of last year’s election.

Bill Clinton denounced the riot as “unprecedented assault” on the US Capitol and the nation itself.

“Today we faced an unprecedented assault on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our country,” the Democratic former president said in a statement.

“The match was lit by Donald Trump and his most ardent enablers, including many in Congress, to overturn the results of an election he lost.”

And the oldest member of the exclusive club, 96-year-old Democrat Jimmy Carter, said he was “troubled” by Wednesday’s scenes, which he called a “national tragedy.”

“We join our fellow citizens in praying for a peaceful resolution so our nation can heal and complete the transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries,” he said in a statement.

AFP