Sen. Tim Scott, shortly after the Capitol was shut down after a driver rammed a car into a security barricade near the Senate Friday afternoon, said President Joe Biden's first response should be to reassure the country and to work to heal the nation's divisions.
"(What) I would love to hear from the president is how to continue to work together," said the South Carolina Republican on Fox News' "America Reports," shortly after he confirmed on Twitter that his staff employees, many of whom were at their Senate office, were okay.
"We should be responsible for ratcheting down hyperbolic language that we use when discussing the issues," said Scott. "People don't agree with you aren't your enemies. Sometimes they are just your opponents on a specific issue."
He also said he wants Biden to work on his "responsibility to lead on lowering the volume" and to bring the country together, but "not by policies that polarize the nation, but a conversation where he goes to the Republican and conservative red areas and has a conversation with us about his vision forward, not just talk to the echo chamber but talk to the nation."
He added that the nation should "take a step back" on Good Friday and be thankful that there are Americans like the Capitol Police "who are willing to put themselves in harm's way to defend others."
Capitol Acting Chief of Police Yogananda Pittman confirmed that one of the police officers involved in the incident has died from his or her injuries and that the driver of the car that hit the officers before jumping out of the car with a knife was shot and killed.
The names of the officer who died, or the driver, have not yet been made public.
Scott said that he would like to thank God for the law enforcement around the country and specifically on Capitol Hill, who "may have saved many lives" while putting themselves in jeopardy.
He added that he's spoken to his staff, but not to anyone who saw what happened, but he did speak to people who were at the Capitol who said the security there "seems to have gone well, thankfully."
"The good news: members (of the Senate) were out of town because of Easter," said Scott. "We had limited staff on the hill. That is excellent news. Every life is (as) valuable as the other life. Having a few of my staff in the office, I'm thankful for that."
He pointed out that just 10 days ago, fences were being removed that were put up around the Capitol after the Jan. 6 violence, and he is sure there will be a "new conversation" about what the security there will look like going forward.
"I'm happy we have very capable law enforcement officers who are able to secure the Capitol," said Scott, adding that he is also thankful for the presence of the National Guard
"We have an existential threat on the outside that we need to keep an eye on," said Scott. "We have an inward focus on each other, and there are threats outside the border to get through the border ... I think that we benefit from a longer, deeper conversation about putting America first from a global perspective, and national perspective, and a Capitol perspective. There are very capable law enforcement officers doing their job."
He said he does think the Capitol has the "finest officers" and that fewer National Guard troops need to be there, but he imagines he's in the minority with that opinion.
"We have capable people protecting the Capitol," he said. "We need to make sure that we follow the information. Follow the facts. Follow the threat warnings that we receive, and coordinate that is something to serve our Capitol well. If we take that — begin with the end in mind perspective and work your way to where we are — from a law enforcement, security perspective and the national issues we face, we will be a healthier and safer country."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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