IN THE NEWS

Today the founders of Citizens for a Strong Democracy responded to the U.S. Senate’s decision not to create a commission to investigate the events of January 6th:

The four former Secretaries of Homeland Security who founded and lead Citizens for a Strong Democracy gathered earlier this month for a discussion on some of today’s most urgent national security challenges. The talk coincided with the launch of a new policy hub for the study of national security issues – the Center for Security in Politics at the University of California, Berkeley – which was co-founded by Secretary Napolitano.

We urge the Senate to promptly consider and confirm Alejandro Mayorkas, President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for homeland security secretary. In the wake of last week’s domestic terror attack on the Capitol — the symbol of our nation’s democracy — it is more urgent than ever to have in place an experienced, capable and Senate-confirmed leader. That person is Mayorkas.

In the aftermath of the storming of the U.S. Capitol, CSD’s founders spoke with news outlets across the world to help viewers process an unprecedented assault on American democracy. The former Homeland Security Secretaries offered perspectives rooted in our nation’s political and racial history. Here are a few moments from their media appearances since January 6th.

Washington, D.C. – Thursday, January 21, 2021 – Today, Citizens for a Strong Democracy (CSD) -- founded and led by four former bipartisan Secretaries of Homeland Security -- released the following statement in support of Mayorkas's confirmation to lead the Department of Homeland Security:

Today the four former bipartisan Secretaries of Homeland Security who founded and lead Citizens for a Strong Democracy released the following statement in response to the violence yesterday at the U.S. Capitol:

Some of President Trump’s own supporters are not convinced he won the 2020 election, with one in 10 of them saying they think Joe Biden will be the next president, according to a new poll from a bipartisan group focused on strengthening democratic institutions.

As President Trump continues to contest the results of the election and his administration holds up starting the transition process with President-elect Joe Biden, a bipartisan group of former Department of Homeland Security chiefs is warning that delaying the peaceful transfer of power puts the country at risk.

Our country is in the middle of twin crises: a global pandemic and a severe economic downturn. The pandemic will make any transition more complicated. At this period of heightened risk for our nation, we do not have a single day to spare to begin the transition. For the good of the nation, we must start now.

Election Day fears of violence and unrest are allayed by former Homeland Security secretaries Janet Napolitano and Michael Chertoff, who urge calm, patience, and faith in America’s institutions and the tradition of a peaceful transition of power.