Mark Poulose
Jul 15, 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Local members of both the Democratic and Republican parties agree – the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was beyond unacceptable. Now, both parties want the tension level to drop – and for cooler heads to prevail.
“It’s not a Republican issue. It’s not a Democratic issue. It’s not an Independent issue,” said Kansas City Councilwoman Andrea Bough. “This is something where we need to come together as a country and say, ‘This is not acceptable. This is not who we are.’”
“I think the worst thing we could do is have more escalations,” said Sean Smith, a Jackson County legislator. “We need to see the rhetoric cool down, while at the same time striving for our principles and defending our principles without attacking our fellow Americans.”
Sunday afternoon, the Republican party of Jackson County held a pre-planned ice cream social. At the event, Will Scharf, a lawyer for the former president, said there needs to be accountability after what happened at Trump’s rally on Saturday.
“I think they obviously need more help on his detail,” said Scharf, who is also running for Missouri Attorney General. “To leave a rooftop 120 yards away from a presidential candidate unsecured, the way we saw [Saturday], is pretty mind-boggling. I think heads need to roll at the Department of Homeland Security and at the Secret Service.”
Members of both the Democratic and Republican parties see this as a moment for the American people to put aside their differences and come together.
“Full stop, this has no place in our democracy. This should not happen in the United States of America,” Bough said. “We need to move forward as one nation and ensure that this is not a country where this is allowed to continue and allow this to be acceptable.”
“We love this country and we need to unite around that,” said Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller, a Republican who is also running for Missouri Secretary of State. “I’ve had people in the past say, ‘I’m a Democrat.’ I say, ‘Well, I’m an American first.’ I think we need to remember that and unify behind this.”