Local elected officials are unified in their condemnation of political violence

Jul. 16—Local leaders on Monday condemned the actions of a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign event in that state over the weekend.

Trump was grazed in the right ear with by a bullet as he spoke to supporters at a campaign rally in Butler, Penn., Saturday afternoon, some 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

A spectator was killed and two others were injured in the attack,

Authorities identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Michael Crooks of Bethel Park, Penn.

City of Lodi, San Joaquin County, and state and federal leaders on Monday all said violence had no place in politics, or everyday life.

San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors chair Miguel Villapudua said violence is not a solution to the challenges facing the nation, and that residents across the country should "build bridges, understanding and empathy" for one another.

"I want to encourage each of us, and all of us, to step away from dangerous rhetoric and remember that the things that unite us are stronger than the forces that seek to divide us," he said. "Our nation has survived political division and violence before, and we must commit ourselves to the cause of democracy once again, using our voices to make a difference and having faith in the goodness of our neighbor, even when we disagree."

The Lodi City Council issued a statement on social media Monday afternoon expressing concern not only for Trump, but for the two rally attendees who were injured, as well as for the family of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who died protecting his family during the attack.

"The right of Americans to peacefully gather in support of their beliefs, and for leaders to address those beliefs, is an fundamental cornerstone of our free republic," Mayor Lisa Craig said. "Violence has no part in this hard-won right. As elected leaders, we condemn this act of violence."

Within hours of the attack, leaders on both sides of the political spectrum called for the heated rhetoric between parties to cease, including Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon.

"The events of today shine a glaring light on the absolute need to bring down the political temperature within our country and our state," he said. "There is no place for violence just because we have a political disagreement. I'm proud of the responses from so many elected officials. Both Democrats and Republicans are condemning the actions of (Saturday) and calling for a reset and clarity. We are all blessed to live in the greatest country in the world and this is not how we do politics."

Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, although a critic of Trump and his policies, said he was relieved the former president was okay, calling Saturday's actions "heartbreaking."

"It isn't about politics," he said. "This is the United States of America — no one should be risking their life by attending a peaceful political rally with their family in their community. I hope that Secret Service gets to the bottom of what went wrong here so it never happens again. We've seen a scary spike in threats and political violence over the past few years and I'm grateful to Capitol Police and other law enforcement for their tireless work to protect everyone."

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, is familiar with political violence. Her husband Paul was attacked at their San Francisco home two years ago by a man who said he was on a "suicide mission" to take the Congresswoman hostage.

"As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society," she said. "I thank God that former President Trump is safe. As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that all those in attendance at the former President's rally today are unharmed."

Investigators are trying to determine how Crooks was able to gain access to a rooftop 150 yards from the rally stage, and what his motives were. So far, investigators have said Crooks was a registered Republican with little to no social media presence, and made a $15 donation to a progressive political action committee the day President Joe Biden was sworn into office.