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West Windsor Officials' Response to January 6, 2021 Insurrection

Below are the responses from West Windsor's various elected leaders, at all levels of government, shortly following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

FEDERAL

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

TOWNSHIP OF WEST WINDSOR

In comments from the six elected and appointed officials that represent West Windsor made on Jan. 11-12, 2021, and later from Council President Sonia P. Gawas on Jan. 4, 2022 and new Council Member Martin A. Whitfield on Jan. 18, 2022, which follow:
From: (1) Minutes of WW Township Council Meeting, January 11, 2021 and (2) Email of January 12, 2021 from Michael R. Stevens, Subject: Re: Official Council Condemnation of the Mob Violence at the U.S. Capitol
https://www.westwindsornj.org/images/TC-documents/2021/TC-Minutes-20210111-Business.pdf

West Windsor Elected Officials' Statements on events at the U.S. Capitol of January 6, 2021

[Council Member Michael R. Stevens was absent on 1/11 but sent Email the next day]
MAYOR HEMANT MARATHE:
Last week what I saw on TV disturbed me enough to break my own rule, hopefully for the first and last time.

While I served as a school board president for 9 years from 2004 to 2013, I would get a request almost every month to make a statement or comment on issues that affected the school district but over which the school board had no control. Even though I agreed with many of those issues, it was always my policy to focus on job at hand and not use my position to comment on issues over which school board had no control.

I continued that philosophy when I got elected Mayor in 2017. In the precious meeting time available, with our town facing numerous problems that the Mayor and Council can directly solve, it is unproductive to use that time to discuss issues over which my office has zero control. I have always put substance above showmanship. It has also been my philosophy not to use my position as mayor to comment on what other elected officials should do.

But last week, as I sat in doctor's waiting room while my mom was undergoing examination, "I saw something that I thought I would never see." The Capitol Hill was under siege by supporters of President Trump. The mob tried to intentionally disrupt constitutional transfer of power. Their actions were an unprecedented attack on American Democracy. My prayers are for the law enforcement officer that lost his life in this incidence. Those responsible for these actions should be held fully accountable.

Authoritarianism and mob justice have no place in our society. I wish our newly elected President Joe Biden the best and hope the country can heal. I will do everything within my power to bring people together in West Windsor. I hope each of us as residents of this great town will reflect on our actions - whether they will bring people together or drive them apart.

May God bless West Windsor and the United states of America.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANDREA S. MANDEL:
This week we are honoring Station # 45, West Windsor Fire & Emergency Services, as Hometown Heroes. They are our paid professional EMTs and Fire Fighters, and we appreciate all the work they have been doing.

Last week we honored our own West Windsor Health Department, led by Jill Swanson for the incredible job they have done this past year. By pure luck, or perhaps fate, this was also the week that our Health Department was going to have our first Covid Vaccine Clinic. I immediately set to find out if there was a good time that the Council, which is also the Board of Health, could come observe the Wednesday, January 6 first clinic and present the staff with our Hometown Heroes proclamation on this historic day.

We were thrilled to see a well-organized, successful operation and present the proclamation to this well deserving group. We were on an incredible high and joking with our first responders as they got their shots. It was a magical moment where we could see the beginning of the end of all this pain.

The high came crashing down. All of a sudden there were news reports of protestors breaking into the capitol, and then more of them inside. Of intruders yelling death threats at Vice President Pence and sitting in Nancy Pelosi s office. And later of the death of a brave policeman, Brian Sicknick, who was from New Jersey.

I love studying history, especially American History. The miracle of the United States is not that we started with an election, but that we held them on a regular basis, in war and peace and yes epidemics, and we peacefully transferred power as a result. It is not that we wrote a constitution, but that we followed it and let judges overrule us if we did not. It is that we made a promise and we kept it. Our elected officials have always supported this.

On the afternoon of January 6, I wrote and posted the following about the mobs at the capitol who were supporting President Trump, and were there at his own urging:

For over 200 years our republic has existed because we select leaders based on the votes of our people and not who con assemble the strongest mob. And if the people choose new leaders, there is an orderly transfer of power.

Today, for the first time in our history, we watched as mobs invaded the Capitol and tried to disrupt and scare elected representatives from performing that peaceful transfer of power. Don't call yourself patriots if you do that - you have done what no enemy of the United States has ever been able to do.

We must arrest and punish those involved, and not let this happen again. We must find out who planned it, who supported it, and prevent it from happening again— in the Capitol or in our states, cities and towns. We must do this all within the law, and remember why we are doing it.

I want to see peace in our land, cooperation, and people working together for a common good. I look forward to our new President supporting this every day. As always, I come back to West Windsor and how we can show the way. Before we say or act, let's ask ourselves— Will this bring people together? Or will it pull us apart?

COUNCIL MEMBER SONIA P. GAWAS:
Last week on Jan 6th WW health department held its first Covid vaccine clinic. I had the opportunity to visit the clinic along with my colleagues in the Council and as board of health. For the past year we have been actively involved to ensure we meet all the challenges of Covid-19. It was a happy coincidence that last week our Hometown Heroes was awarded to our Health Department. I was very impressed by the set-up and the energetic staff working very hard so we can put this Pandemic behind us.

I drove back home very excited from the success of the vaccination clinic only to find my children glued to the television watching the horrific scenes at the Capital.

My first memory of Capital [sic] hill is from Jan of 2002, when I visited the white house and the Capital hill along with my parents as a 9/11 widow. That visit gave me a new immigrant and my family the assurance that this country is built upon strong principles and patriotism. And that I will be ok here, for my father it was very important as I was young myself then.

19 years later as I witnessed that belief of mine being shattered in front of my young children and as I sat down to help them make sense of what was happening, the thought that came to my mind is "We are better than this".

For over 2 centuries our republic has existed because the people of this country elect their leaders. For the first time since the war of 1812 we watched mobs invade the Capital. The supporters of President Trump tried to disrupt our representatives from performing their duty. But they failed and our Democracy held firm as the Senate and House representatives r certified the election of President-Elect Joe Biden.

I extend my deepest condolences to Officer Sicknick's family who lost his life in this incidence.

Theodore Roosevelt once said and I quote, "Patriotism means to stand by the Country. It does not mean to stand by the President."

Anyone who incites or supports violence and insurrection cannot be our Leader. I am hurt but I truly believe we will come out stronger!

We need to look past ourselves, our disagreements and put our Democracy first!

I wish President-Elect Joe Biden the best as we come together and heal as Americans!

Addendum from Sonia P. Gawas on Jan. 4, 2022
In an Email to a Township resident on Jan. 4, 2022, Sonia P. Gawas, now the new West Windsor Council President, explicitly called for Trump to have been removed from office immediately following the insurrection:
From: Sonia Gawas <sgawas@westwindsortwp.com>
To: [WW Resident] <***@****.com>
Subject: Re: Questions for [topic omitted]
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2022 18:38:06 +0000
Message-ID: <988d03aa-03f7-4729-80c2-5bb6b8f08f73@email.android.com>

Dear [Resident name omitted],

Wish you and your family a very Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!

[portion(s) omitted]

1) YES, then-President should have been removed from the office immediately following the January 6th, 2021 insurrection. ...

[portion(s) omitted]

Have a wonderful day.
Sincerely,
Sonia

[quoted thread omitted]

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN A. WHITFIELD:
In an Email to a Township resident on Jan. 18, 2022, Martin A. Whitfield, who became a West Windsor Council Member on January 3, 2022, a year after the insurrection, explicitly called for Trump to have been removed from office immediately following the insurrection:
From: Martin Whitfield <mwhitfield@westwindsortwp.com>
To: [WW Resident] <***@****.com>
Subject: Response To Questions for new Council Member Martin Whitfield
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:30:08 +0000
Message-ID: <BLAPR16MB3699A349C881531AC1848849A4589@BLAPR16MB3699.namprd16.prod.outlook.com>

Hello [Resident name omitted],

Happy New Year! First, I pray that the New Year of 2022 is filled with safety, good health, empowerment, prosperity, unity, togetherness, love, enlightenment, happiness and joy for you, your family and for this community.

Secondly, I pray that you and your family are safe, healthy and blessed at this time.

1) YES, the former President should have been removed from office immediately following the January 6th, 2021 insurrection.

2) No, I did not vote for Donald Trump in November of 2016 or in November of 2020. And if you take note to all of the work I have done in this community over the years and specifically at the Windsor Athletic Club in the last 8 years, you will see that I have intentionally made efforts to bring this community together in impactful, enlightening and empowering ways. You will see that I have orchestrated, organized many, many events (Most Were Free Events) for our community at the club/complex, with the specific intention of uniting all of our beautiful and diverse ethnic groups.

[portion(s) omitted]

Have a Great and Blessed Day,

Martin Whitfield

COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT LINDA A. GEEVERS:
As I watched the horrific events on TV last Tuesday, I could barely believe what was happening like many of you. First, President Trump delivered a political rant at a D. C. rally primarily focusing on how he believes the election was stolen from him. In the end, he encouraged thousands of people in attendance to march to the Capitol to show force.

Peaceful marches are part of our democratic society. But what transpired, was a result of a planned hostile attack on members of Congress who were performing their duty to certify the results of the presidential election. It was terribly divisive and irresponsible of President Trump to say or do anything that would encourage such lawlessness. He should have set the tone for a peaceful transition of power, instead of setting the stage for utter chaos. To those in Congress, I encourage you to consider all measures available to you to address the President's behavior, including impeachment.

I strongly condemn the illegal and violent actions of the rioters who were carrying out an insurgence on our legislative branch of government. They must be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Let us never forget, this violent attack resulted in five deaths, including a Capitol police officer originally from New Jersey.

I congratulate President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their election. I have faith that as Joe Biden becomes our next President, he will lead our country in healing and unity by working across party lines to accomplish shared goals.

FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW B. HERSH:
The events of last week made me sad and disgusted. Many of you know that I volunteer my time supporting and advising on national security matters facing our nation. The lens through which I make the following comments, are from a national security perspective. I proudly serve with patriots from all parties and no party, all who put our aim country first.

On January 6th, the President and his cronies directly incited an insurrection on the United States Capital, his latest attempt to subvert our democracy. Lives were lost, and it becomes clearer every day that the President held back law enforcement from preparing and responding. The Governor of Maryland has said publicly that his offers to send in the Maryland National Guard were originally denied. It took the Vice President circumventing the chain of command, under duress at the US Capital, to get the necessary reinforcements that ultimately cleared the insurrection.

Before January 6th, the closest a confederate flag came in battle to the US Capital was 15 miles during the civil war. To many the confederate flag is a symbol of slavery, racism, and hate. Let us never forget that on January 6th it flew freely in the heart of our democracy and let us ensure that it can never happen again.

Supported by close allies, news media, and over 120 members of congress, this President has assaulted the most important foundation of our democracy—the public's confidence in a free and fair election. The trust that one's vote wields their power. I fear that the ruinous legacy of Trump will include an enduring doubt in the validity of our elections - a service only to our nation's enemies.

The assault on our democracy began long before January 6th and long before Americans came out to vote in November. It continues to this day. The systematic and continuous undermining of the public's faith in our intelligence community, installing inexperienced and submissive government leaders, and sparking and fanning the flames of hate and divisiveness — is how they, and authoritarian leaders throughout history, have eroded the systems of democracy that check their power. This President has steadily eroded the many checks and balances that sustain our democracy throughout his presidency. The events of January 6th were sadly the latest logical progression in his desire to stay in power and wield influence, whether or not he held the Presidency. Let us pray that things do not get worse before they get better. The President remains in power and 120+ members of congress have, to date, submitted to his will.

President Trump, and those that enable him, are an imminent threat to our democracy. He and they must be removed as soon as possible. Vice President Pence should have invoked the 25th amendment on January 6th and, because of his failure to do so, it is now the very American duty of Congress to impeach this president. He must be contained now and should never have the opportunity to be in power again.

On January 20th, President-elect Biden will become President Biden. President Biden must undo the sabotage and put out these fires for the enduring good of our country. Recognizing the time and national effort this will take, the President-elect has made continuous calls for unity and a push to move beyond partisanship.

We in West Windsor have an opportunity to be a unifying force for each other and avoid the lazy tendencies of trying to use national anger to sew division in our community. We are the perfect place to ensure the President-elect's calls for unity and an end to partisan divides are realized. President Trump must be removed immediately and should see his day of reconning [sic] in the US court system. Here at home, we must continue to do well for our community.

FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL R. STEVENS:
Via Email sent Jan. 12, 2021 at 1:29pm, Subject: Re: Official Council Condemnation of the Mob Violence at the U.S. Capitol
Message-ID: <46D5A840-B276-4F40-BCDD-7209E3CCE19A@westwindsortwp.com>

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Monday's West Windsor Council meeting due to a previously scheduled business commitment. As a result, I was not able to speak in response to the tragic events at the US Capital on January 6th.

The hostile storming of the Capitol in a despicable attempt to prevent the lawful electoral confirmation of Joe Biden winning the presidency was nothing short of a premeditated criminal act and I support prosecuting those responsible to the fullest extent of the law. There is no room whatsoever in our beloved country for mob rule or for those who seek to incite it, be they individual citizens or the President of the United States. One way or another, the time of Trump will definitively come to an end in the coming days. Where we go from there will define who we truly are as a nation. We must all come together to restore our tarnished national pride and strive to work together across the divisions that have come to separate us. We must put aside labels such as Left or Right, Conservative or Liberal, Democrat or Republican, and devote ourselves to becoming "One nation, Indivisible." Once we do that—and I believe we shall—we can meaningfully address the societal inequities and other important issues that demand our full attention to drive our great nation forward.

COUNCIL MEMBER DANIEL WEISS:
Via Email sent in early 2024, Daniel Weiss indicated that Trump should have been removed from office after the insurrection, and additionally that he never voted for Trump. This comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with his views.
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