By TED SLOWIKDAILY SOUTHTOWN |JAN 08, 2021 AT 9:17 AM
Sean Morrison of Palos Park, a Cook County Board member and Republican Party county chairman, issued a statement Wednesday night in response to the mob violence in Washington, D.C.
“There is no place for the disgraceful and lawless behavior that occurred today inside the U.S. Capitol Building,” he wrote on behalf of the party.
“We condemn the riotous actions and call on law enforcement to swiftly identify and prosecute the perpetrators,” Morrison wrote. “As Americans, we have a right to be heard and express our voices loudly and peacefully in a public forum, but we do not have a right to break the law.”
Morrison had issued several statements in recent months in response to violent mobs in Chicago and the suburbs.
“I have been vocal on the rioting and looting and lawlessness that’s gone on in Cook County,” Morrison said Thursday by phone. “I’m going to condemn when peaceful protests transgress into lawlessness. I don’t care who you are. When you break the law, it’s very troublesome to me.”[Most read] A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine »
I sought Morrison’s perspective as an elected official and party leader. Precinct results from November’s election showed many voted for Donald Trump for president throughout Palos, Orland and Worth townships. In Will County, many voted for Trump in Homer, Lemont, Lockport and other townships.
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Many are wondering what becomes of the Republican Party after Trump leaves office. Even though the south and southwest suburbs are considered Democratic strongholds, there are a lot Republicans in the area who feel disenfranchised due to gerrymandering and other factors.
“I believe Democrats, Republicans and independents have a lot in common with each other when we talk about the southwest suburbs,” Morrison said. “We have a lot more in common than we do not have in common.”
Morrison initially demurred when I asked his thoughts about what Republican constituents think about this week’s violence in the nation’s Capitol. Analyzing the complexities of national politics was above his pay grade, he said.
“I’m more concerned about the residents of Cook County, that their investments in their properties are protected, that their property taxes are kept low, that their rights are protected,” Morrison said.[Most read] Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring »
I told him that’s why I called, because he understood concerns of Republicans in the area and could speak on their behalf. He thought about it, then said he didn’t think the people who stormed the Capitol were trying to overthrow the government.
“Calling it an attempted coup, that’s hyperbolic,” he said.
Morrison said he didn’t pay attention to comments after he posted the statement on social media Wednesday night. Several people had commented that anti-fascist, or “Antifa” and Black Lives Matter activists had likely committed Wednesday’s violence, not Trump supporters.
“When have you ever seen Trump supporters active [sic] violent,” a woman commented. “And when have you ever seen BLM and Antifa not be violent?”
Actually, pictures and videos indicated large numbers of the insurrectionists wore gear or carried flags or banners that showed support for Trump and the Make America Great Again movement.[Most read] White man who drove into Iowa protesters avoids prison after guilty plea »
Morrison said he was unaware of the comments. Violence should be denounced, he said, whether committed by right-wing extremists or leftist radicals.
“The criminals and the thugs and the lawless folks on either side don’t represent Republicans, and they don’t represent Democrats,” he said.
Morrison appealed for calm and for rhetoric that was less provocative. If there’s a lesson to come out of this, it’s that the vitriolic hyperbole needs to be de-escalated, he said.
He questioned the political strategy expressed by Republican Adam Kinzinger and many Democrats on Thursday. They called for using the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.
“He’s got 13 days,” Morrison said, referring to Trump’s time left until Joe Biden’s inauguration Jan. 20. “There were 75 million people who voted for him. Do you really think it’s a good idea to piss everybody off and throw the president out?”[Most read] Daily horoscope for January 9, 2021 »
I asked Morrison his thoughts about the future of the Republican Party after Trump leaves office. A year ago, the party displayed near-absolute unity when Trump was impeached for abusing power and obstructing justice. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was the sole exception.
Now, however, several Republican members of Congress were speaking out against Trump, even before Wednesday’s violence. Congress recently overrode a Trump veto for the first, and perhaps only, time. Trump appears to be losing his grip on power over others in the party during the waning days of his lame-duck tenure.
Who among Republicans can speak truth to Trump supporters? His loyal followers have long been misled and misinformed. They see Trump as a leader who loves the country. They have been told over and over that Democrats are evil and hate the country.
That’s not an easy ledge to climb down from, despite shocking images of smashed furniture and ransacked offices in the Capitol. Wednesday’s occupation of the hallowed seat of government felt like a manifestation of years of anger and resentment about government itself.
Some see government programs as a way to provide fellow human beings with decency and dignity through housing, education, health care, nutrition and other services.[Most read] ‘Really dumb-a**’: Backlash from many fellow Republicans is swift for Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz »
Others see government as depriving hardworking people of their dollars through taxes and giving their wealth to undeserving freeloaders.
The GOP is about ideals, Morrison said.
“I think the Republican Party stays within its roots,” he said. “We believe in the smallest size and smallest amount of government, the lowest amount of taxes and the best application of tax dollars to serve the public.”
It seems like about half the people in the country are going to support the GOP no matter what. The past four years have been great for people who support conservative policies, Morrison said.
“We find ourselves today, on Jan. 7, 2021 in a much better position than we did on Jan. 7, 2017,” he said.
Ted Slowik is a columnist at the Daily Southtown.
