Haverhill City Council Hears Resolution Tonight Condemning Last Week’s Attack on the Capitol

Mayor James J. Fiorentini during a June 11, 2019 City Council meeting. (WHAV News file photograph.)

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Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini is calling on the City Council to join him in “condemning in the strongest possible terms the attack on our capital building and this assault on our democracy.”

Haverhill city councilors will receive the resolution, described as a “Unified Statement” at their regular meeting tonight. The resolution further calls for “elected leaders in Washington D.C. to launch a full and fair investigation on how this could occur and how it can be prevented from ever happening again in the future.” The resolution blames President Donald Trump for the events of Jan. 6.

“Whereas, on Jan. 6, a mob clearly encouraged by the president of the United States, stormed the capital building in Washington D.C., our seat of government, and attempted to disrupt the process of certifying an election. This was a clear attempt to take away our rights and freedom as a free people to choose our own elected leaders through free and fair elections,” the statement reads.

Fiorentini has been consistent in his public condemnation of Trump and the attack on the Capitol. During the attack, the mayor wrote, “This attempted insurrection, clearly incited by President Trump, is a sad, sad day for America. As Sen. (Mitt) Romney said, those who continue to contest the election will forever be branded as complicit in this attempt to overthrow our government.”

The mayor’s last election opponent, Patrolman Daniel Trocki, also condemned the attack. He said on social media, “Storming the U.S. Capitol isn’t heroic or patriotic. It’s the complete opposite. Win or lose I accept the results of the elections. I always have and I always will. I will always support the president of the United States regardless of the party.”

In a social media post this past weekend, Fiorentini said, “People went with body armor, zip ties, flagpoles to use as sticks and weapons, and a clear plan and intention to disrupt the proceedings and prevent Congress from doing its job.  Zip ties are handcuffs. They intended to ‘arrest’ and possibly execute members of Congress.”

Fiorentini ordered City Hall flags be flown at half-mast in honor of the two police officers who died “in light of the attack on our nation’s capital.”

The Haverhill City Council meets online tonight at 7. As a public service, 97.9 WHAV plans to carry the meeting live.

Full Text

UNIFIED STATEMENT FROM MAYOR JAMES J. FIORENTINI AND THE HAVERHILL CITY COUNCIL CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021

Whereas, Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 marked a day in our history that must never be forgotten and;

Whereas, on January 6, a mob clearly encouraged by the President of the United States, stormed the capital building in Washington DC, our seat of government, and attempted to disrupt the process of certifying an election. This was a clear attempt to take away our rights and freedom as a free people to choose our own elected leaders through free and fair elections, and;

Whereas, we as the elected leaders of the City of Haverhill join with other mayors, city councils and other elected leaders throughout the country in condemning these actions in the strongest way possible;

Whereas, the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America establishes a sacred right to free speech and peaceful assembly and peaceful protest. Those who stormed the capital building and those who incited them went far beyond anything that is protected by the First Amendment, and;

Whereas, it is the duty of honorable people of all elected officials to speak out and condemn this outrage and to show that those who invaded our capital building and those who encouraged them do not represent America. America is represented by millions of free people throughout our land who continue to cherish our land, our freedoms and our right to choose our own leaders;

Now, therefore, we the elected leaders of the City of Haverhill do hereby join with millions of Americans in condemning in the strongest possible terms the attack on our capital building and this assault on our democracy. We call upon our elected leaders in Washington DC to launch a full and fair investigation on how this could occur and how it can be prevented from ever happening again in the future.

Witness our hands and seals on this date:

James J. Fiorentini, Mayor

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