Here’s how Pa. politicians reacted to the Chauvin trial verdict

By
Cassie Miller
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A demonstration outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis on March 29, 2021, the day Derek Chauvin’s trial began on charges he murdered George Floyd (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/The Conversation)

This developing story will be updated. 

Here’s how Pennsylvania’s state and federal elected officials reacted to the verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin who was found guilty on three counts of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.

Gov. Tom Wolf:

“George Floyd’s murder was a tragedy. Sadly, it is a tragedy that has been repeated time and time again in our nation.

“Today, we have seen justice for George Floyd. But we must acknowledge that we are living within a broken system.

“We know that one verdict will not, by itself, change the course of our nation. But this verdict was made possible by the bravery and ceaseless advocacy of people who stood up and called for change, and it marks a turning point. Thank you to all of the community leaders and advocates who called for justice and refused to be silenced.

“The work of changing policing, of fighting for racial justice, of ending centuries of discriminatory and traumatic policymaking, is hard and painful. It is also, above all, necessary.

“As we reflect on the memory of George Floyd, and all those who came before and after him, we can celebrate a measure of peace, knowing that justice has been done today. Tomorrow, we must reaffirm our commitment to doing the hard work to address injustice and inequality in every community across the nation.”

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa:

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia:

“Today’s conviction in the trial Derrick Chauvin is a powerful moment of justice for George Floyd, his loved ones, and millions of America who saw this tragedy unfold with their own eyes. It has sadly been a rare occurrence in American history for an abusive and criminal police officer to be held accountable for murdering a Black person, and I hope today’s verdict sends an important message that no one is above the law. But regardless of today’s verdict, our work to dismantle systemic racism at every level of our society – especially the criminal justice system – is far from over. Every day, Black and brown people continue to be unfairly targeted by police and have to worry about whether their lives are at risk simply for existing. We have to come together to acknowledge and fight back against the discrimination and violence being faced by communities of color every day and push for necessary reform in every police department from coast to coast.“

Chauvin verdict: Guilty on 3 charges in George Floyd’s death

State Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia: 

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman: 

State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, D-Montgomery: 

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1st District:

U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-2nd District:

U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, D-3rd District:

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-4th District:

U.S. Rep Mary Gay Scanlon, D-5th District: 

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-6th District: 

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-7th District:

U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th District:

“Our pledge of allegiance declares we are one nation under God that guarantees liberty and justice for all, and today justice was served. The defendant received due process and a jury of his peers determined he was guilty of murdering George Floyd. I respect that decision and admire our judicial system for carrying out a fair trial under the rule of law. Now I pray the Floyd family can find peace, and that our nation can move forward to heal.”

State Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia: 

State Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia: 

State Rep. Chris Rabb, D- Philadelphia:

“While this verdict offers us a collective moment of relief, I am nevertheless angered to live in a country where there’s suspense about whether a white law enforcement officer will be convicted for being on camera killing a Black person with impunity.

“Anything less than an overhaul of modern policing is complicity in a system borne of injustice, terror and surveillance, which for Pennsylvania has meant a 321-year track record of law enforcement protecting and serving the political interests and property of the most influential minority of our city and state without any history or commitment to transparency or accountability.

“We are far passed the trite analogy of good or bad apples. We must finally acknowledge that we are dealing with a toxic barrel and commit ourselves to building a new vessel for change that centers on community safety and restorative justice.”

Attorney General Josh Shapiro:

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney: 

Cassie Miller
Cassie Miller
A native Pennsylvanian, Cassie Miller worked for various publications across the Midstate before joining the team at the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. In her previous roles, she has covered everything from local sports to the financial services industry. Miller has an extensive background in magazine writing, editing and design. She is a graduate of Penn State University where she served as the campus newspaper’s photo editor. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in professional journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition to her role at the Capital-Star, Miller enjoys working on her independent zines, Dead Air and Infrared.

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