July, 16, 2024 – JCRC is horrified by the attempted assassination of former President Trump, the murder of Corey Comperatore, who heroically threw himself on top of his family to shield them, as well as the wounds sustained by David Dutch and James Copenhaver who also attended the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

While we are relieved that former President Trump was not severely injured, our hearts break for Mr. Comperatore and his family. We also pray for the full recovery of Mr. Dutch and Mr. Copenhaver.

Though the motives of Matthew Crooks are not yet known, we are emphatically certain that political violence is never acceptable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. In America, we settle our disagreements at the ballot box and not from the barrel of a gun.

JCRC also agrees with the remarks of Dave McCormick, the Republican nominee in the Pennsylvania Senate race.  Scheduled to share the stage in Butler with former President Trump, Mr. McCormick astutely observed, “We need to put the engine of our republic in a constructive gear. We have consequential differences; we should debate them robustly. The left and right have vastly different visions, and both fear the consequences of losing. So, let’s have that conflict — but let’s commit to keep it inside the context of elections, civil debate and policymaking.”