KANKAKEE – Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) is addressed constituents Friday afternoon following a Presidential Impeachment vote earlier in the week.
“I’ve realized that not everyone is on the same page when it comes to President Trump’s actions before, during, and after the attack on the Capitol,” Kinzinger said in a Facebook posting Friday afternoon. “Here are the indisputable and publicly available facts: The President helped organize the January 6th rally. For months, he insisted the election had been stolen and consistently urged people to “fight” in order to change the results: “WE HAVE JUST BEGUN TO FIGHT!!!”
Rep. Kinzinger pointed out Trump supporters’ use of social media to insight violence, including a ‘second civil war.’
“Many coming to the rally did intend to fight, with physical violence. Leading up to the rally, specific threats were numerous. Hundreds of TikTok videos promoted violence. Thousands of posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Parler used hashtags promoting a second civil war.” Kinzinger wrote. “One said, “Take your motherf—ing guns. That’s the whole point of going.” Another online comment said: “travel in packs and do not let them disarm someone without stacking bodies.”
Kinzinger was just one of 10 Republicans to vote to Impeach Trump Wednesday afternoon. Illinois’ 16th District Representative, who holds the rank of lieutenant colonel, made the comments just one week after the President incited a mob that storm the U.S Capitol that killed a Capitol Police Officer and several Trump protesters.
“Rather than take any action to curb the threats, the President stoked the flames at his rally: “When you catch somebody in a fraud, you are allowed to go by very different rules.” He said “You’ll never take our country back with weakness,” Kinzinger pointed out in the statement. “The Commander-in-Chief’s primary job is to protect U.S. citizens. While this mob hunted for Pence, who had fled to a secure location, the only action we know the President took was calling GOP Senators, seeking their support to delay the Electoral College certification. At the end of the day, my oath is to the Country and Constitution, and I sleep very well knowing I followed my conscience and sent a loud and clear message that this behavior will not be tolerated from any American President, today or in the future.”
