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Rock County board adopts resolution condemning political violence after narrow amendments
Summary
The board passed a resolution condemning political violence and urging elected officials to temper rhetoric; an amendment adding the president to recipients passed, a broader amendment to include all federal lawmakers failed, and language adding "hostility" to "violence" was debated and approved as amended (final vote 19–7).
The Rock County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution condemning political violence and urging elected officials to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric after several amendments and roll-call votes.
Supervisor Wilson moved adoption of the resolution and supervisors Sutter and Pennycook sponsored the measure. Supervisor Gorman offered a narrowly tailored amendment to add the president of the United States to the list of elected officials who would receive a copy of the resolution. That amendment passed on a roll call vote, 22 yes to 4 no.
A subsequent motion by Supervisor Pier to broaden the amendment — to include all U.S. senators and all U.S. House members generally — failed on a roll call, 11 yes to 15 no. Debate focused in part on whether expanding the list would make the resolution inconsistent or dilute its focus.
Supervisor Schwartz offered language to add the word "hostility" alongside "violence" to describe statements that may be forwarded, prompting debate about definitional vagueness. Supervisor Babzin warned that "hostility can be defined many different ways" and called the term vague; that exchange was part of a wider discussion about balancing clarity and the resolution's symbolic purpose.
After amendments were resolved, the amended resolution passed by roll call, 19 yes to 7 no.
The resolution directs the Rock County Clerk to forward copies to the specified elected officials and asks officials locally and beyond to work to reduce heated rhetoric. The board packet contains the final, amended text and a list of recipients to whom the clerk will send the resolution.
