Congressman Steven Horsford Investigates Trump Lafayette Square Photo-Op

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) took part in a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee, "The U.S. Park Police (USPP) Attack on Peaceful Protesters at Lafayette Square." The hearing sought to investigate the events of June 1, 2020, and other police and military forces forcibly removed peaceful protesters from the streets around Lafayette Square.

"What took place at Lafayette Park stands against our nation's ideals. Peaceful protestors were exercising their First Amendment rights. Unfortunately, our current President, in an effort to have an ill-advised and unnecessary photo-op, decided to up-end the First Amendment rights of peaceful protestors at Lafayette Park by using tear gas and firing rubber pellets on them," Congressman Horsford said. "As a Black man, and a father of two young Black men, I know we must find common ground and enact real reforms across this Nation and for Nevada. The actions of the Trump Administration at Lafayette Square do not bring us closer to solving these problems."

Since the events of June 1, the Trump administration has since offered a shifting variety of accounts and justifications related to the operation. The administration has contradicted itself regarding the incident on matters ranging from the rationale for the attack to its assertion that it did not use any chemical munitions. Given these inconsistencies, the Natural Resources Committee held today's hearing to establish an objective account of the facts prior to, during, and after the incident and how the USPP was involved.

The Congressman's prepared remarks and line of questioning are available below:

I know all too well the pain and loss the Black community has faced because of law enforcement use of force. What took place at Lafayette Park stands against our nation's ideals. Peaceful protestors were exercising their First Amendment rights.

Unfortunately, our current President, in an effort to have an ill-advised and unnecessary photo-op, decided to up-end the First Amendment rights of peaceful protestors at Lafayette Park by using tear gas and firing rubber pellets on them.

It is important that lawmakers can look outside their windows and see and hear protestors. They are letting their government know that change needs to occur.

Instead, our current President acted like an authoritarian dictator and used excessive force so he could stage a three-minute photo op at the historic St. John's Episcopal Church. This simply was wrong.

As a Black man, and a father of two young Black men, I know we must find common ground and enact real reforms across this Nation and for Nevada. We need to continue to have an honest dialogue about race and other injustices and more importantly, act boldly for the change we need throughout our society.

Unfortunately, actions taken by our current President at Lafayette Square do not bring us closer to solving these problems.

Mr. McDonald, can you tell us what brought you to the protests, and what were your general feelings about your fellow protestors? Were they peaceful? Did you see anybody doing anything different than exercising their First Amendment rights?

What was your first reaction when police in riot gear used tear gas on you and your fellow peaceful protestors?

Ms. Brace, seeing the way you were treated in that video is shocking to say the least. You were clearly identified as a member of the press. You were in an area designated for members of the press. And yet, those officers were completely indiscriminate in their attack. In your years of experience as a reporter, have you or your cameraman ever been treated this way before?

When you set up to work that day, did you assume you'd be safe from violence at the hands of law enforcement? Why?

Can you tell us more about the conduct of law enforcement that you've observed as a reporter? Was what happened at Lafayette Square the first time you'd seen this?

Right Rev. Mariann Budde, can you talk about the teachings of the Episcopalian faith and whether those are in line with the current President's actions of using tear gas by police in riot gear against peaceful protestors?

What was your reaction when the current President used a bible for the sole purpose of a photo-op?

Video of the Congressman's testimony can bewatched and downloaded here.