The Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee (JPDEC) condemns the violent
insurrection at our nation’s Capitol on Jan. 6. This horrific, deadly event did not happen by
accident. It was the culmination of years of divisive rhetoric and, most recently, the false
narrative that the election of Joe Biden as president was fraudulent, that the election was
“stolen” from Donald Trump. Those who promoted these lies -- rejected by state and federal
election officials, the FBI, the Department of Justice and courts at all levels up through the U.S.
Supreme Court -- must share responsibility for the violence, the deaths, and the instability and
anxiety that grip our nation. America has always been unique in our ability to have a graceful and
peaceful transition of power. Until now.
Many Republican leaders bear the blame. JPDEC is especially concerned with the man who
represents most Jefferson Parish citizens in the House of Representatives, a man who puts
himself above country and promotes the lies that led to insurrection and death at the U.S.
Capitol: Rep. Steve Scalise.
Leaders are elected to lead. They are not elected to be cheerleaders for division, hate and
destructive partisan lies. Rep. Scalise was elected to represent the interests of citizens of
Congressional District 1 in Louisiana, which includes much of Jefferson Parish. He has failed to do
so. Instead, he has vaulted onto the national stage as a hyper-partisan troublemaker, posting
daily Twitter rants vilifying Democrats and promoting an extreme agenda. He has used his
position to catapult himself onto the national stage instead of representing our interests in
Jefferson Parish.
The truth will win in the end. Rep. Scalise's regrettable actions and words have already
diminished his stature in Washington, D.C. He will serve out his two-year term as an irresponsible
self-aggrandizer who helped to undermine our democracy. With credibility damaged, he will not
effectively represent the interests of Jefferson Parish. And when Steve Scalise stands for
reelection in 2022, Jefferson Parish voters should remember that he put personal objectives and
extreme politics above our best interests.