In LD37, Bergen Republicans Back Local Leader of  Domestic Terror Group Involved in Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrection

Democrats Johnson, Haider & Park: “Shame on Bergen Republicans for putting our democracy and our communities in danger.”

Bergen County, NJ – A fringe, extremist element of the Republican Party has taken center stage in Bergen County, as the party has given its backing to a local leader of the notorious domestic terrorist group, the Oath Keepers, whose members took part in the deadly January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, to run for State Senate in Legislative District 37.

Democrats Gordon Johnson, Shama Haider and Ellen Park, candidates in Legislative District 37, sharply hit back, questioning the reasoning behind the Bergen Republicans’ decision to elevate a local leader of a domestic terror group to represent their party.

“At a time when the deadly attack on the Capitol is still fresh in our memory, it’s astounding – even scary – to see county Republicans back a leader of an extremist terrorist group known to be at the helm of the violent insurrection in Washington,” said Johnson. “As much as I would want to dismiss this as an attempt by a desperate, rudderless party still infatuated by Trump to lamely troll Democrats, it is apparent from the violent events of January 6th just how seriously we need to take any and all domestic terror threats. We must work diligently to root out homegrown, domestic terrorism, and put an end to the increasingly violent conspiracy theory-based political rhetoric that these dangerous groups feed on. Shame on Bergen Republicans for putting our democracy and our communities in danger.”

The Bergen Republicans’ nomination of Oath Keepers official Edward Durfee for State Senate comes just months after the extremist right-wing militia group gained national notoriety when 10 of their members were arrested for their involvement in the violent January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The attack on the capitol left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer who was born and raised in New Jersey, and more than 140 people injured.  While their members’ criminal involvement in the deadly insurrection has raised the dangerous group’s profile, they have long been known as a “domestic terror threat” by New Jersey officials, and called a “gang of paramilitary thugs” in an NJ.com editorial. The Southern Poverty Law Center has said that Oath Keepers “trafficked in violence and conspiracy theories” well before the events of January 6th.

“The attack on the Capitol in January wasn’t merely a spur-of-the-moment mob, it was an orchestrated, coordinated, and instigated assault on our country’s democracy,” said Haider. “The Oath Keepers methodically plotted to attack our elected leaders in Congress and overturn the results of a free and fair election. Meanwhile, Republicans in Bergen County are rallying behind one of the group’s top officials, giving this individual marquee status at the top of their ticket. What does that say about their priorities?”

“Republicans around the country continue to push The Big Lie, that the presidential election was somehow stolen, as a way to significantly curtail voting rights. Here in Bergen County, the GOP has nominated a leader, who has promoted this dangerous conspiracy theory, which ignited the violence that took the lives of five people, including a police officer from New Jersey,” said Park. “This shameful, unacceptable nomination raises significant questions about how much Bergen Republicans actually value the future of our democracy, the strength of democratic institutions, and quite frankly, the safety and security of our families and communities.”

Republican candidate for State Senate in Legislative District 37, Edward Durfee, is the Northern NJ Regional Director of the Oath Keepers, an extremist domestic terror group that is being investigated for its criminal involvement in the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Well known over the years for his strong ties to local Republicans, Durfee has helped promote anti-democratic “Stop the Steal” rallies in Atlanta, GA, and previously trafficked in other baseless conspiracy theories, having expressed his skepticism of the facts of the September 11th terror attacks, declaring “I’m not fully settled with that, with the story that was put out, personally,” in a Bloomberg interview.