PA Chamber President Gene Barr issued the following statement following the violent protests-turned-riots that occurred last week at the U.S. Capitol:

“Yesterday’s violence at the U.S. Capitol was completely unacceptable.  It was an assault on our democracy and an affront to our ideals. Those who committed these acts should be prosecuted as soon as possible.  One of the hallmarks of our democracy has been the commitment by those in elected office to a peaceful transition of power.  Hopefully this will galvanize all of us to focus on the need for civility in politics as well as everyday life and also on rebuilding the spirit of cooperation needed to move this country forward.”

This statement was published in a story in the Central Penn Business Journal.

Barr was also quoted in a Philadelphia Inquirer story last week, as one of several business leaders that condemned the attack and vowed to move forward in efforts to reunify our nation. He further remarked that those who claim the election was stolen from Republicans must also consider the resounding down-ballot victories they achieved on Election Day. “When anyone asks if the election was ‘stolen’, I say, ‘The Democrats would have to be really bad thieves, given the success Republicans had taking two statewide offices from them, and keeping the state House and Senate, and not losing any congressional races,” Barr said.