Washington (CNN) – Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele released a statement late Thursday condemning acts of violence and threats against members of Congress who voted for health care reform.
Steele said that if angry voters channel their frustration, Democrats who "have abused their power and disenfranchised the American people" will suffer at the ballot box in November.
Read Steele's full statement after the jump:
Statement from Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele:
"Americans across the country are understandably angered and disappointed that Democrats put politics above the interest of their constituents and the economy. But resorting to violent measures is exactly the wrong way to send a message. Instead, if we want to change the way this country is being run, we need to call our elected officials, make smart arguments and most importantly organize ourselves for the November elections. What makes America great is that we have an opportunity to channel this anger, through the peaceful transfer of power, every two years. The un-American way that Democrats have abused their power and disenfranchised the American people should and will be met by the ultimate power – an electoral avalanche in November."
From CNN Politics
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Michael Steele sounds like a narcissistic crazy man I don't think he will wake up in time to save himself let alone anybody else
Funny how now that the rethugliban have allegedly been the targets of threats (still not releasing the voicemails or photos of damage, btw), they call foul. Sorry mikey, too little too late.
i bet if there is a way to show the truth a tea bagger or even idiot cantor shot his own office. ironic how all the sudden cantor sayds he is a target. i bet it is only a part of the story.
cantor is a dick head
You repubs incite this outlandish behavior...If someone is hurt in the process...the blood of these people who are simple doing their job will be on the hands of the repubs....Secret Service Do Your Job and ARREST these people
This man is one of the worse people spewing lies about congressmen and causing unrest. What is your point Steele.?
The dems haven't abused power. The republicans had eight years to pass health care reform and they didn't do it. All they did was kill people in a war we didn't need. Bush abused his power by lying to the American people about going to war and using his power to give the wealthy tax cuts while poor people became poorer.
Day late and a dollar short !
When you don't take responsibility for turning on the steam , you will take responsibility when the boiler blows !
Steele , your a pawn on a bored !
He just could not resist making the charge of being "Un-American": what is appalling is the pridethe GOP members took when they were derelict in their resposibilities to this country. They had ample time to address this problem, and could not even pass portablity for health insurance: Now they want to accuse the Democrats of "...un-American" tactics in bringing about the change they could not? This, in a climate they fostered and encouraged where members of Congress are being now threatened? Perhaps Mr. Steele forgot the storm that broke over his head when he levellled a mild critique at Rush and Company last year?
Pathetic.
this is an apology? wow.
it took him 3 days? whatever man!!!!!
Save it, Mr. Steele. You didn't get out in front of this. Reactionary behavior by Republican politicians does not constitute Leadership.
At least Steele isn't lying about bullets being shot into his offices like Eric Cantor did.
Cantor's claim is debunked by the Richmond Virginia police report on the matter. The bullet was shot straight up in the air and came straight down. It was not shot at Mr. Cantor's offices.
As an American, especially an African American how do you sleep at night?
The majority of Americans voted for President Obama, in large part because of his commitment to reform health care.
The majority party in both the Congress and the Senate pass health care reform.
Exactly how is this abusing their power and disenfranchising the American people?!?
Michael Steele is an idiot of the first order, not only because he says totally stupid things like this, but because he doesn't mind be used for cover by the GOP.
They picked a Black man to be their chairman, so the GOP can rouse the racist rabble against President Obama and be able to say with a straight face, "We're not racist; see, we have a Black guy as our Chairman."
So incredibly pathetic!
I really do feel sorry for Michael Steel, because he is the only person in the room who thinks he is in charge.
I literally get embaressed for him when ever he gives a speech. It is so obvious that he has no power within the GOP , now nor will he ever have any.
The Republican Party is too late – they pandered to the mob, and Fox News gave it a platform to spew hatred and violence, which are not to be tolerated in this day and age.
They have lost me – I will never vote Republican ever again.
Steele's living on Planet X. No way that turning down the anger will cause Dems to lose their seats. That's an assumption that the American people have no long term memory, are incapable of thinking for themselves, and cannot see the forest for the trees! Actually – everyone involved in this sick, depraved and crass behavior should lose their seats and/or be jailed....everyone...not just Republicans or Democrats.
and they continue to spout their ignorant comments.
Sort of like Dr. Frankenstein appologizing for the destruction his monster did. The violent fringe tea bagging racist biggots are feeling their oats. They were brought out of the closet by the rpeublicon party. That moron dick armey and the demagogues at fox dreamed up the tea baggings, and it gave cover for all the crazies to come out of hiding. And so here we are. Luckily we have great law enforcment in this country and strong anti-terrorism statutes to use agains these criminals who are trying to use violence and intimidation to undermine the American way of life. They hate our freedoms and they hate our democracy and they are working hard to destroy it. We have supermax cells waiting for them.
Even in this luke warm acknowledgment of guilt, steppinfetchit says "it is understandable" that people are outraged. They are outraged because of the lies they are fed constantly from the republicon party and their propaganda networks. What outrageous anti-American scum.
Keep bringing your hate and watch the Indeps abandon you in droves. Kinda like Nov 2008.
It would be nice if Republicans would make a statement renouncing violence & intimidation without trying to score political points at the same time. It would be nice if they would take responsibility for their fear mongering lies that has contributed to excesses.
Why does every Republican who has publicly criticized the violence (Boehner, Cantor, and Steele) also include a criticism of the party of the victims and say that what is happening has been their fault????
It's like saying "Rape is horrible BUT if she hadn't dressed provocatively....
Good for Steele.
When is a prominent Democrat ever going to condemn violence against Republicans?
Oops, silly question. Leftist media like CNN ignore those, so they don't exist.
We had no say in the three tax cuts for the wealthy, and corporations. We had no say in the war for Iraq. We had no say in most of the 12 years of Republican control of congress and the 8 years of Bush. Talk about disenfranchisement. Remember, when you point a finger at someone you have three pointing back at you,
How have the Democrats "disenfranchised" the American people when they RAN on getting health care through , got elected and did just that? Also, Republicans refused to cooperate–they doubled down on obstruction and they lost. It's a little late to be crying about being left out–they did this to themselves. . .