SUSSEX COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE THANKS GOTTHEIMER 

The Sussex County Democratic Committee would like to thank Congressman Josh Gottheimer for his continuingcondemnation of the violent uprising that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, as well as of the people who conceived, organized, and carried out the insurrection. Speaking yesterday at Sussex County Community College, Congressman Gottheimer outlined his new initiative to have violent extremist groups such as the Proud Boys labeled as domestic terrorists, echoing the SCDC’s longstanding warning that this group–and other similar factions such as the Oath Keepers, a group already labeled a domestic terror organization by the U.S. Government—pose a grave threat to our county, state, and country. These groups, as Rep. Gottheimer pointed out, prey on our nation’s military and law enforcement communities, spreading lies and deceit in order to radicalize otherwise law-abiding citizens. 

Congressman Gottheimer’s vocal renewal of his support for strong deterrence against this kind of extremist threatis exactly the kind of messaging we need to hear from allSussex County elected officials. Sussex County has long provided sanctuary to anti-government, anti-democracy rhetoric, sometimes motivating people who otherwise choose not to act violently and for whom this would otherwise be out of character. 

This unfortunately continues to be an issue without satisfactory resolution, as the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners has opted to reject a bipartisan, apolitical resolution condemning the events of January 6 and the white supremacy that inspired them. They have instead chosen to pass a resolution peppered with buzzwords and gaslighting. The Board of County Commissioners’ proposed resolution has nothing to do with actually denouncing the white nationalism and white supremacy that the FBI has identified as the “most direct threat to United States citizens’ safety.” Instead, the resolution focuses on hate crimes and “acts of hate”. While the January 6th insurrection was unquestionably a crime fueled by hate, the commissioners refuse to identifythe rest of the variables in this equation— white nationalism, white supremacy, and neo-Nazism.

The commissioners’ refusal to call out white supremacistorganizations for fear of offending the very radicals whom they feel hold the key to their political careers is not only embarrassing for the citizens of Sussex County, but it also sullies the very offices they hold. Choosing to lay down and allowing these entities with whom they have unfortunately aligned themselves to continue runningroughshod over the county is a threat to our very democracy. This is why the Sussex County Democratic Committee is so grateful to have the support and cooperation of Congressman Josh Gottheimer as he continues to fight to keep all citizens of the 5th congressional district—as well as all U.S. citizens—safe from these kinds of blatant domestic threats. These actions are undertaken by groups bent on the destruction of our democracy; they hide behind words like “patriots” and “warriors of freedom” but represent the exact opposite. The real patriots are the law-abiding citizens of Sussex County who don’t allow political differences to be used as justification for politically motivated violent uprisings, the latest of which sent no fewer than 140 Capitol police officers to the hospital. Warriors of freedom are the brave men and women within our community that have served this country honorably and continue to help build up Sussex County, not tear it down. 

The Sussex County Board of Commissioners must take a stand and begin to unravel their unholy marriage to these groups, ones that have embedded themselves into our local government and into the Sussex County Republican party. The commissioners must help put a stop to this kind of radicalism, calling it out swiftly and loudly, or they will be complicit when these types of domestic terrorist acts happen again. 

Commissioner Sylvia Petillo made a comment at the last meeting of the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners calling for a coalition to be formed between the commissioners and the public to help combat racism within Sussex County. While we at the SCDC are confused why the commissioners would be open to an anti-racism coalition–and not a resolution condemning white supremacy and white nationalism—the Sussex County Democratic Committee is looking forward to following up with the commissioners about this idea and helping them bring it to fruition. Nonetheless, we strongly feel the commissioners must re-evaluate the language of their resolution and strike a much harder, much more specific tone against the movements and organizationsthat the federal government believes will be responsible for the next domestic terror attack on our soil: groups that embrace anti-democratic impulses—and use anti-democratic means—to achieve the anti-democratic ends of white nationalism and white supremacy.

The Sussex County Democratic Committee