Statement from Kent Lassman, president and CEO at the Competitive Enterprise Institute

Shock and horror are natural responses to violent mobs.  CEI condemns the lawlessness and violence in the nation’s capital.

Every day CEI engages with people who hold diverse and deeply held views on the most important issues of our time.  Many of these people are entrusted with great responsibilities under the authority of law.  Our work is done with respect and fidelity to the rule of law because the peaceful exchange of ideas is central to who we are at CEI and as Americans.  Whether it is for economic or intellectual goods, voluntary interactions are a prerequisite for the market processes and constitutional order we hold dear.

Fidelity to the constitutional order is demonstrated through shared social obligations.  That means we will continue to champion peaceful, orderly, legal processes to seek continued improvement to American governance and deplore activities that do otherwise.