Reader's View: Where is Stauber's support for police now?

I am longing to hear Rep. Pete Stauber’s condemnation of the recent pardoning of the hundreds of insurrectionists who attacked our nation's Capitol and the dedicated peace officers sworn to protect those within. Assailants violently assaulted law-enforcement officers, causing injuries to more than 140 of them, with tasers, metal poles, fire extinguishers, fists, and more. As a retired Duluth police officer, Stauber ought to have some strong opinions on the matter. Thus far, though, silence.

As an officer, Stauber himself was a victim of a violent attack. I wonder what Stauber might think if our governor pardoned his assailant. What might he think if, while serving, a violent mob attacked City Hall, caused massive property destruction, threatened to kill elected officials within, and assaulted Duluth officers attempting to quell the riot? What would he think if our governor later pardoned all such assailants? I suspect his outrage would be heard loud and clear.

Stauber has commented about the law-enforcement community being under attack. In a commentary in May , he called on Minnesota leaders to “come together and publicly reject these ugly attacks on our law enforcement.” As he professes support for law-enforcement professionals, it is not surprising that his commentary was prominently posted on his congressional website. I agreed with his support of law enforcement then, and I certainly hope he agrees with his own sentiment today.

I await his condemnation of the president’s undermining of law enforcement through his actions. President Donald Trump’s pardons give a green light to other would-be assailants — as long as their violence aligns with the “correct” political ideology, apparently.

As a police officer and again as a representative, Stauber took oaths to protect the Constitution. His silence now reveals his fealty to a would-be monarch instead.

Paul J. Goossens

Duluth