The Hennepin County Bar Association adopts the Minnesota State Bar Association’s statement in response to the attempts to interfere with the certification of the 2020 presidential election on January 6, 2021. This statement is repeated in full below:
The Minnesota State Bar Association condemns the attempts to interfere with the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election, including the violent and destructive actions that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Such violence erodes the public’s faith in our democratic process and undermines the rule of law.
As officers of the legal system, lawyers have special responsibility to uphold the rule of law, defend the Constitution, and protect the independence of the judiciary. The peaceful transition from one presidential administration to the next is one of the fundamental principles of our democratic system. When our democracy is being threatened, it is our duty to speak out against those who encourage and are involved, both directly and indirectly, in encouraging seditious behavior and violence.
In addition, the Hennepin County Bar Association acknowledges that the presence and response of law enforcement at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, differed from the presence and response to protestors speaking out for racial justice last summer. The Hennepin County Bar Association is a voice for the diverse legal profession, and as lawyers, we support the rule of law and equal justice under the law. Recent events undermined both of these core tenets. We are committed to continuing to work to confront the grave challenges our nation faces, to support equal justice under the law, and to provide a platform for all of our members to engage in respectful discussion.