State Rep. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), who gained national attention for her strong stance against guns in the Michigan state Capitol, has issued the following statement regarding the attempts to stop the election certification results.
“What we are seeing unfold right now in our nation’s Capitol is a clear threat to the very fabric of our democracy and our country. These are not protestors. These are domestic terrorists, a crime still not officially named in federal statute,” said Anthony. “13 months ago I introduced a resolution calling on Congress to classify domestic terrorism as a federal crime. The Republican majority refused to transmit the resolution to Congress and we are about to see the consequences of this inaction play out. As things stand, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security don’t have the tools they need to hold people accountable for their actions today; we have piecemeal laws in this area.”
In 2019, the assistant director for counterterrorism, Michael McGarrity, said the FBI has over 850 open cases of domestic terrorism and that cases are “notably on the rise”[1]. The FBI Agents Association has been advocating for a law that defines domestic terrorism. If crafted correctly, the statute could give FBI agents more authority to increase intelligence gathering and investigating, saving lives before these devastating attacks occur.[2]
“We cannot gloss over this moment in history. When the 101st Legislature kicks off next week, I will be reintroducing House Resolution 180 calling on Congress to classify domestic terrorism as a federal crime. What we see today is terrorism by Americans against other Americans. It is an attempt to overthrow the very systems that make our country run and we need to take actionable steps to ensure this never happens again,” said Anthony.
Anthony appeared before the Capitol Commission in September to advocate for a ban on weapons in the Capitol where she said, “it is not a matter of if something happens, it’s a matter of when.”