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This week’s Feedback Friday topic is:
Gubernatorial Candidates That Supported Jan. 6th Events
Yesterday, a gubernatorial candidate in Michigan was arrested on charges for his participation in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Reports the Washington Post:
“Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan D. Kelley was arrested Thursday on misdemeanor charges of participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, including a count of damaging federal property, the Justice Department announced.
“A contender in the state’s crowded Aug. 2 primary, Kelley, 40, of Allendale, Mich., faces four counts punishable by up to a year in prison, including trespassing, disorderly conduct, committing an act of violence against a person or property on restricted grounds, and depredation of federal property, according to charging papers. His home in Allendale was searched by the FBI on Thursday morning.”
With the Maryland Gubernatorial Primary Election set to take place just over one month from now, we’ve been curious if any of the candidates on the Maryland primary ballot had supported the events leading up the Capitol riot.
Maryland Del. Daniel L. Cox, a candidate running in the Republican primary for Governor, attended Donald Trump’s rally on the national mall the afternoon of the Capitol riot. He also bussed supporters into Washington, D.C., to attend the event. Days ahead of the Trump rally, he announced on Twitter:
“I am co-hosting two buses to the Million MAGA March/Rally with the Frederick County Conservative Club in support of President Trump @realDonaldTrump on January 6, 2021 to #StoptheSteal”
To be clear, this type of support is not a crime. Nor is a Tweet that Cox posted the Wednesday afternoon of the riots at approximately 3:21 p.m. that stated: “Pence is a traitor.” For the record, a couple days after the Capitol riot, Cox did publicly denounce the violence.
Nor is it a crime to repeatedly Tweet the conspiracy group QAnon hashtag #WWG1WGA. When asked about his use of the hashtag, Cox’s response was, “I support President Trump and General Flynn and that’s all my point was about.”
It’s also very much within his legal rights to state he believes there was substantial voter fraud in Maryland during the November 2020 election. For the record, Trump lost Maryland by 33 points.
None of this is criminal, especially in comparison to the charges Ryan D. Kelley faces.
But all of this does speak to one’s character and beliefs.
Candidates on state and national ballots who supported the events and actions that led to the January 6th Capitol riot or sympathized with any other violent riot regardless of origin and nature, nor demonstrate faith in the foundational judicial systems and electoral processes upon which our great country is built, are not fit to serve our state or nation in my opinion.
What do you think? Agree or not? Do you prefer candidates that challenge the status quo in this manner?
Please share your thoughts by filling out this form. Today’s responses—and all future Feedback Friday responses—will be published in our Monday newsletters after the weekend. AND, several responses from recent topics will appear in our upcoming print magazines!
