Several accounting firm leaders shared their thoughts about the riot in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday when an angry mob of protesters tried to prevent the counting of the Electoral College votes.
“Earlier this week, I was proud to sign a letter with other business leaders to support an orderly transfer of power,” said KPMG U.S. chair and CEO Paul Knopp in a LinkedIn post. “The chaos at the Capitol today has no place in our democracy, and we call on officials to restore peace so we can move forward together as a nation.”
He was referring to a letter he signed with leaders of other Big Four firms as well as other major business businesses who are members of the Partnership of New York City (see story).
Another Big Four leader, Deloitte U.S. CEO Joseph Ucuzoglu, had also signed the letter earlier in the week and expressed his thoughts about the storming of the Capitol in a LinkedIn post co-written by Deloitte board chair Janet Foutty. “One of the most sacred tenets of our Democracy is that we respect the results of our free and fair elections, and consistently execute the transfer of power peacefully,” they wrote. “The events we all witnessed this afternoon, with the storming of the US Capitol, represent a sad and embarrassing moment. But our great country is far stronger than the abhorrent actions of those who engaged in this conduct.”
Ernst Young U.S. chair and managing partner Kelly Grier also expressed her thoughts. “Fomenting violence and divisiveness poses an untenable threat to democracy and our civil liberties and must be strongly condemned,” she wrote on LinkedIn and on EY’s website. “It also blocks the healing pathway to common ground and the unity that our country urgently needs to move forward.”
PwC U.S. chair and senior partner Timothy Ryan shared his reactions on Twitter. “I am deeply disturbed by what is taking place at the Capitol,” he tweeted Wednesday. “Violence has no place in our democratic process threatens our very way of life. We must support a peaceful transfer of power and get back to the critical business of fighting the virus turning our economy around.”
He also retweeted a statement from his group CEO Action for Diversity Inclusion, saying, “Today’s unlawful and destructive behavior threatens to undermine our democracy and the unity that makes our country so strong. We must uphold the fundamentals of democracy. We support the peaceful transition of power so we can return to focusing on critical issues facing our country, including doing the hard work we all need to do to make society more equitable for all. Our country and our people deserve better.”
The rioters marched to the Capitol shortly after being exhorted to do so by President Trump during a rally in the nation’s capital in an effort to hold onto the presidency before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
They did extensive damage to the historic building, and one demonstrator was shot and killed in the melee as Capitol Police and D.C. Police fought to take back possession of the building. Members of Congress were cleared from their chambers as they began debate on the first challenge to the vote. Hours later, after the building was cleared of the rioters, lawmakers returned to ultimately count and certify the Electoral College vote in Biden’s favor.