Former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot and gravely wounded during an attack in 2011, weighed in Wednesday on the attack on Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and other congressmen and staffers.
Giffords, who went on to co-found the anti-gun violence organization Americans for Responsible Solutions, said:
“It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican, nor if you're a senator or a representative, nor a staffer or a sworn officer," she said. "If you serve the institution of Congress, you're connected to your colleagues, current and former, by a shared sense of service to ideals far greater than yourself. This shooting is an attack on all who serve and on all who participate in our democracy.
“I am heartbroken for the pain of Congressman Scalise, the other victims, and their family, friends, and colleagues who survived. I am thankful for the great courage of the Capitol Police, who were my protectors after I was shot and became my friends. I also know the courage it takes to recover from a shooting like this, and I know Steve and everyone there this morning have such courage in great supply."
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“May all Americans come together today with prayers for the survivors, love for their friends and family, and the courage to go about everyday making this country its best. Our nation is resilient, and we always come back stronger.”
On the House floor, speaker Paul Ryan and minority leader Nancy Pelosi agreed that an attack on a member, Democrat or Republican, was an attack on all of them.
(Photo via Gage Skidmores Flickr. Image taken on June 13, 2017 and used per Creative Commons 2.0 license. The photo was cropped to fit 9x16 aspect ratio.)
