Two New York congressmen on a bipartisan caucus said they’re urging lawmakers to use calmer rhetoric to reduce political violence following a surge of targeted deadly attacks rooted in the objection of another person’s viewpoint or freedom of speech.
The congressional Problem Solvers Caucus — a group of moderate Republicans and Democratic House members — meet weekly to find common ground on key issues facing the nation.
Caucus co-chair Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Long Island Democrat, said the group of about 50 lawmakers met days after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was murdered two weeks ago during a public event on a university campus in Utah.
“We’ve got to figure out how to take the temperature down,” Suozzi said Wednesday.
Both Democrats and Republicans have condemned politically motivated violence, including Wednesday’s fatal shooting of one U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detainee by a gunman who opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas. The gunman critically injured two other detainees, and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Caucus members last week met and sang “God Bless America” on the U.S. Capitol steps, and signed a public statement denouncing the violent act that led to Kirk’s death. They also called or texted legislative colleagues on both sides of the aisle urging them to soften their rhetoric when discussing different ideas, their opponents and all social media posts.
Suozzi said he’d back federal legislation to hold social media platforms liable for perpetuating the publication of defamatory content that spreads quickly online and sows division. New York’s law banning addictive algorithims on all social media platforms for users under 18 took effect this year.
“The Chinese Communist Party, the Russians, the North Koreans, the Iranians — they’re filling our social media feeds every day with controversial topics where they take both sides and pump up the division,” Suozzi told Spectrum News 1. “They can’t beat us economically. They can’t beat us militarily. So they want to divide us from within — from what they see as our biggest weakness. If you look at any of these countries…they believe in uniformity. Everybody’s got to be the same, and they see our diversity as a weakness.”
Wednesday’s attack on an ICE facility comes two weeks after Kirk’s assassination, and less than a month after a gunman opened fire during a Mass at a Catholic school in Minneapolis.
The caucus is urging elected officials to value their differences of opinion and engage in robust debate without vilifying the parties, or each other.
Republican caucus member Rep. Mike Lawler, NY-17, said he spends a lot of time on the House floor speaking to Democrats to find common ground to meet in the middle. Both parties, he added, agree more often than people realize, including on top issues for voters including foreign policy, the economy and immigration.
But Lawler said while all Americans must reject political violence, elected officials have an extra responsibility to use more uplifting dialogue when running for public office.
“The old saying, when you’re pointing the finger, there’s three pointing right back at you… we all have a responsibility,” Lawler said. “It’s not just blaming the other party or one individual. Every one of us has to look at the words we use when we’re talking about these issues, focus on the substance of the issues, stop trying to dehumanize each other or the other side, simply because we disagree. We’re allowed to disagree. That’s what makes this country great.”
Lawler said Republicans and Democrats must have constructive dialogue to govern to benefit all Americans regardless of party.
The Hudson Valley congressman considered challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul next year, but decided not to launch a campaign after pressure from President Donald Trump for Republicans to keep their razor-thin House majority.
Lawler said deciding not to run wasn’t a mistake, and other factors, including his work as chair of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, sealed his choice to seek reelection.
Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-21, is expected to challenge Gov. Hochul next year.
Lawler said Stefanik, who has said she wouldn’t announce her decision until after November’s local elections, should get into the race sooner than later.
“New Yorkers deserve a choice in this election, and so certainly I think Elise has the ability to do it, and if she’s gonna do it, she should get in,” Lawler said. “She obviously has a great ability to get her message out and to raise money…and it’s going to take running around the state and getting into every community, and I think if she’s going to do it, she should jump in and do it and make the case to New Yorkers and give them the opportunity to make a decision.”
Lawler said Hochul and Stefanik, who have been known to make personal attacks or blame each other, should focus on engaging in serious policy debates and issues important to voters to reduce the threat of political violence.
“New York is going to be a focal point next year, not only because of the governor’s race, but because of control of Congress,” he said. “… I think the question is, are we focused on the substance of the issues? Are we focused on the policy or are we focused on the personalities?”
Suozzi, who lost two unsuccessful bids to be the Democratic nomination for governor in 2006 and 2022, said candidates seeking office at any level must be more reasonable. He agreed races must focus on issues people care about.
“We’ve got to find some compromise,” Suozzi said. “Let’s start working together.”
