Two Nebraska lawmakers decry U.S. Capitol violence, caution colleagues

BEATRICE – Two Nebraska lawmakers took to the floor on the second day of the new session to condemn the violence at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, as Congress was verifying the Electoral College vote naming Joe Biden as President-elect.

Senator Carol Blood, who represents Distrct 3 in Sarpy County, asked colleagues what they will do to prevent what happened in Washington D.C., from taking place in Nebraska.

"Listen first, to truly understand that we don't always need to agree, but we do need to always hear where the other person is coming from. We owe them that opportunity, because it isn't us versus them".

Senator Megan Hunt, who represents District 8 in Omaha, said we all should have seen the events in Washington D.C., coming.

"Our outgoing President blatantly issued the instructions for the insurrection and refused to renounce white supremacy on national television...and told the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by. After yesterday's meeting in our committee on committees, I already see that we have to be just as wary in Nebraska of the erosion of our Democracy...whether that takes the form of voter I.D., or legislation to restrict vote by mail, or protecting our electoral college split in Nebraska. The challenge is before us, too, in Nebraska...and it's the flames of division that are just fanned by the promotion of these conspiracy theories and the mistrust of each other."

Hunt says part of what happened is the responsibility of President Trump for creating an environment among supporters that led to the violence, but also the people who continue to spread myths about the outcome of the past election.

"So, who do you think will be held accountable for what happened yesterday, anyone? Are there going to be consequences of any kind? If there aren't consequences of any kind for the people who did this in the Capitol yesterday, not just for them but for the officers who aided and abetted them, for the politicians who incited it...we will see this every time when there is a political outcome we don't like."

Today’s second-day session agenda included the adoption of temporary rules of the legislature and the introduction of new bills.