January 6th, 2021 - An Attack on Democracy

Advocates for the public, the legal team at Bertram & Murphy stands for equality, justice, and accountability. As many Americans already know, an attack on the Capitol in Washington, D.C. occurred on January 6th, 2020. We felt a statement needed to be made on behalf of the team here at our law firm regarding the events that transpired.

We are a part of many legal justice organizations and felt it was most appropriate to share an excerpt from two of those organizations;

Public Justice

“As legal advocates, we believe the rule of law matters. Democracy matters. And justice for all – including, and especially, racial justice – matters. There must be accountability for inciting, and participating in, mob violence in order to try and overturn the will of the people. Just as we fight, in our work, to make sure that every person’s rights are protected, no matter their identity, we also believe that every voice, and vote, counts for our country.  Yesterday’s riot was, in large part, an effort to disenfranchise millions because one group of Americans believe other peoples’ votes are illegitimate. We reject that thinking.

The images of white supremacy, Nazi ideology and other symbols of hate that we saw during yesterday’s riot are sickening and outrageous. The ideology that drove the mob came from the desire of some people to put their own self-interest ahead of the public good. That approach, played out over a period of years, fanned the flames of violence that erupted on Wednesday afternoon.”

Board of Governors of the D.C. Bar

“The Board of Governors of the D.C. Bar and the Board of Directors of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center condemn unequivocally the violence and damage that took place yesterday at the U.S. Capitol.  At the very moment our elected representatives were carrying out their solemn responsibilities under the Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution, a mob of rioters broke in and interrupted those proceedings, causing injury, death, and the destruction of property.  While we support and defend the right of all citizens to protest peacefully, what happened yesterday in our city crossed a line into a criminal assault on our democratic institutions.  We denounce this shocking and unconscionable behavior and urge all of us to take concrete steps to further the rule of law. “