At least two veterans’ groups will purge members who are found guilty of participating in the storming of the U.S. Capitol last week that resulted in five deaths, including a Capitol Police officer.
Disabled American Veterans, which has 1 million members nationwide, released a statement Saturday condemning the riot as an insurrectionist act.
Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
“As veterans who have sacrificed to support and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, DAV abhors and rejects the insurrectionist acts perpetrated at our Capitol on Wednesday,” the group said in a statement.
The group said will take “immediate action” to remove any of its members found guilty of committing illegal acts against the United States.
“Such behavior is a disgrace to our national values and must not be tolerated,” the group said.
Another veterans’ group, AMVETS, said it will take the same action.
If one of its members were found guilty of participating in last weeks’ riot, “they would be subject to disciplinary action at their post-level, which would mean expulsion from AMVETS,” the organization said in a statement.
Neither group has so far confirmed that any of its members were complicit.
The riot came after the president spoke at a rally last Wednesday, telling supporters that he would “never concede,” and repeated unsubstantiated claims that the election was “stolen” from him and that he won in a “landslide.”
TWO CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS SUSPENDED, SEVERAL MORE ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER RIOT
During his remarks, he renewed pressure on Vice President Pence, claiming that he should decertify the results of the presidential election and send it “back to the states,” claiming that if he did that, Trump would be president for another four years.
Trump’s remarks came ahead of a joint session of Congress to certify the results of the presidential election. As members of the House and Senate raised objections to certain electoral votes, both chambers called for a recess and left their chambers as pro-Trump protesters breached the Capitol.
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Congress later returned and certified the Electoral College vote early Thursday, formally giving Joe Biden his presidential victory.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
