HARRISBURG – Today, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Luke Bernstein released the following statement:
“The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry strongly condemns the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, PA over the weekend. As we mourn the loss of innocent life and pray for the victims and their families, we are reminded that, first and foremost, we are all Americans. This political violence is abhorrent and has no place in our society.
Invoking violence to resolve political differences is not reflective of who we are as Americans and Pennsylvanians. The fact that this occurred in our home state makes it even more poignant and distressing. Political differences should be resolved through debate and at the ballot box. At this critical time, we urge all sides to de-escalate tensions and bring down the temperature of our political discourse.
We all play a role in this effort. As an organization, we will remain committed to upholding the values of civility, respect, and unity in our efforts to help move Pennsylvania forward together.
As our state receives significant attention this election year, it is very important for our organization to continue our role as a convener and consensus builder to foster civility and constructive dialogue. Disagreement is a healthy part of democracy, political violence is not. We must lead by example, demonstrating that disagreements can be resolved through vigorous debate and exchange of ideas, peaceful conversation, and collaboration.”