Special Edition E-News: "An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us"

Press Release

Dear Friend,

Early Wednesday morning, while practicing for Washington's greatest bipartisan tradition, the Congressional Baseball Game, my Republican colleagues were targeted and attacked by a barrage of gunfire. My friend, Mr. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, was shot and badly wounded along with four others who were at the practice: a young congressional staffer, Zachary Barth, former staffer and current lobbyist Matt Mika, and two of Rep. Scalise's security detail, Special Agent David Bailey and Special Agent Crystal Griner, whose bravery was on full display as they ran towards the bullets, saving lives.

That same morning, across town, my Democratic colleagues were also practicing for the game. Upon hearing the news, they came together, bowed their heads and prayed.

I could not agree with Speaker Ryan more when he reminded us, "An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us."

Despite Wednesday's shooting, the game went on. In a joint interview with Speaker Ryan, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi rightfully declared, "Tonight, we're all Team Scalise."

We came together over second-base in a pre-game prayer for Steve, who has already undergone multiple surgeries related to his internal injuries, remains in critical condition and faces additional operations. I ask that you join me in keeping him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. You can share them with me by clicking here.

And I ask that you pray for each other and for our nation. The hateful rhetoric, the bitterness, how we engage with each other with the intent to hurt and attack with our words must stop. We must all take responsibility, regardless of party, to bring civil discourse back into the public square.

While we can disagree politically, we must remember that surely there is more that unites us than divides us. Before we are Democrats and Republicans, we are Americans.

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