Jim Jordan, Debbie Lesko Introduce Bill to Hold Rioters Accountable

Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), and several other House Republicans introduced legislation on Thursday that would hold rioters responsible for their destruction of property across the United States.

“We have laws in our country for a reason and if cities and states choose not to uphold them, they should not be rewarded with money from federal grants,” Lesko said in a statement on Thursday. “I hope this bill will incentivize cities and states to follow the law and hold rioters accountable. There is no place in our nation for this lawlessness.”

The Holding Rioters Accountable Act of 2020 would allow the attorney general to withhold up to ten percent of Department of Justice (DOJ) grants from cities, states, and other local governments that fail to prosecute crimes that arose from riots and other violent protests.

“Chaos and violence have no place in American cities,” Jordan, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement on Thursday. “It’s time for Democrats to denounce violent left-wing extremism, reject efforts to defund the police, and hold anarchists and criminals accountable for their lawlessness.”

Several other House Republicans co-sponsored the bill, including Reps. Ted Budd (R-NC-, Michael Burgess (R-TX), Doug Collins (R-GA), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Michael Guest (R-MS), Jody Hice (R-GA), Fred Keller (R-PA), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Greg Steube (R-FL), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Randy Weber (R-TX), and Ted Yoho (R-FL).

Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) introduced the Senate version of the bill in August.

Loeffler told Breitbart News during an exclusive interview this week that America needs law and order to keep the country’s communities safe.