OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma Senate passed a resolution this week condemning acts of political violence.
The chamber responded to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump last weekend by passing Senate Resolution 1XXXX with bipartisan support on Monday.
It honors the innocent victims who were injured and killed during a shooting at President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.
Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, said his chamber felt it was important to send a message that they stood resolute against any form of politically-related violence.
“I think our whole nation was shaken by the events,” Treat said Monday. “We've seen an increase in violence around political activities over the last few years and we just wanted to send a strong message that we stood against that.”
State Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, said her thoughts and prayers are with the former president, his family and the loved ones of Corey Comperatore, the man who lost his life during the shooting.
“I’m proud to have supported this resolution condemning political violence, and stand firmly against all threats to our democracy,” Thompson said.
Treat said while it’s reasonable to question why the shooting happened, what could be done (differently) and take necessary actions to improve security moving forward, it’s important to recognize and commend the action of those who assisted in the immediate aftermath of this tragedy.
“I appreciate all of my colleagues who voted on this today and pray our country can get to a place where this isn’t necessary in the future,” Treat said in a statement.
The authors listed on the resolution are all Republican, but Democrat senators also supported it. Treat said he didn’t discuss the resolution with state Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, the minority leader, and said he should have, but he appreciated the solidarity during the vote.
“We need to tone down this rhetoric. It's about being human beings and the dignity of human beings, that if somebody's in help, you shouldn't say, ‘are you a Republican or a Democrat? Do you support Biden or do you support Trump?’ It's about humanity,” Treat told the media Monday.
Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City, who was present to support the resolution Monday, issued a statement about standing with his colleagues as his time in the Senate comes to an end.
“In what is likely to be my last session and one of my last votes, I supported Senate Resolution 1XXXX. It generally stated that the Senate stands against political violence,” Young said in the statement. “I am very much in agreement with the words of the resolution, yet I am moved to ask, where was this strong stance against political violence on Jan. 6, 2021?”
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