Attorneys general for every state sign letter condemning U.S. Capitol attack, except Texas’ Ken Paxton

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday declined to join a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in sending a letter to Acting U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen condemning the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and stating such actions cannot be allowed to go unchecked.

The letter from the National Attorney Generals Association was signed by the top law enforcement officials from the 49 other states, representing both major political parties. It condemned the violence that occurred without specifically naming a root cause for it.

Paxton did not offer an immediate explanation as to why he was the lone holdout, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The letter reads as follows:

“We, the undersigned state attorneys general, are committed to the protection of public safety, the rule of law, and the U.S. Constitution. We are appalled that on January 6, 2021, rioters invaded the U.S. Capitol, defaced the building, and engaged in a range of criminal conduct—including unlawful entry, theft, destruction of U.S. government property, and assault. Worst of all, the riot resulted in the deaths of individuals, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer, and others were physically injured. Beyond these harms, the rioters’ actions temporarily paused government business of the most sacred sort in our system—certifying the result of a presidential election.

“We all just witnessed a very dark day in America. The events of January 6 represent a direct, physical challenge to the rule of law and our democratic republic itself. Together, we will continue to do our part to repair the damage done to institutions and build a more perfect union. As Americans, and those charged with enforcing the law, we must come together to condemn lawless violence, making clear that such actions will not be allowed to go unchecked.

Thank you for your consideration of and work on this crucial priority.”

UPDATE: The other three state attorneys general that were not on the original @NatlAssnAttysGn letter condemning the Capitol riot have now written their own. This now leaves @TXAG Ken Paxton as the only holdout. https://t.co/ObcFYkx45h https://t.co/Pm00wlVPGx

— Taylor Goldenstein (@taygoldenstein) January 13, 2021