President Joe Biden in Rittenhouse Verdict: Jury System Works, We Have To Abide By It. In this photo, President Joe Biden speaks during an event about the "Global Methane Pledge" at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
A jury found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges Friday, accepting his claim that he was acting in self-defense when he killed two people and injured a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin during a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest. Now, President Joe Biden has chimed in on the Rittenhouse verdict, saying he stands by it.
“Well look, I stand by what the jury has concluded,” Biden said during a press conference. “The jury system works, and we have to abide by it.”
Biden also made an official statement on the matter.
“While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken,” the president wrote. ‘I ran on a promise to bring Americans together, because I believe that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. I know that we’re not going to heal our country’s wounds overnight, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to do everything in my power to ensure that every American is treated equally, with fairness and dignity, under the law.”
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“I urge everyone to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law,” Biden continued. “Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy. The White House and Federal authorities have been in contact with Governor Evers’s office to prepare for any outcome in this case, and I have spoken with the Governor this afternoon and offered support and any assistance needed to ensure public safety.”
There has been widespread reaction to both the Rittenhouse verdict and Biden’s comments on Twitter.
“This is Biden’s system, of course he will defend the outcome,” The Moguldom Nation founder Jamarlin Martin tweeted. “No American politician has more equity ownership of the design architecture and enforcement of the justice system, than Biden. Biden doesn’t need Black support now, he got what he wanted.”
In a follow-up tweet, Martin added, “The people will have to get tired of doing the ‘cha cha’ for Biden & dancing with the POLICE during a rebellion-type of politics. If they are squeezing you on both sides, you have to try something different & harder to get out of that hamster wheel. The rulers know you’re trapped.”
“Did the Biden people message test “the system works!” or were they just spitballing that one,” Twitter user @onekade wrote. “Joe biden must be still drowsy from his colonoscopy cuz Kyle Rittenhouse Issa Killer,” @2RawTooReal wrote.
One user went even further. “Joe Biden is a white supremacist,” @Faustbot1 tweeted.
Another user, @HenriettaSnacks, wrote, “Joe Biden should be the end of the Democratic Party.”
Martin responded to @HenriettaSnacks. “Biden just signaled he is going to start leaning against you and sees himself as only 1 term President. His response on Rittenhouse was carefully thought out by his advisors. The Democrat has to lean against Black Americans and compensate with SPOOK SYMBOLISM,” he continued in a tweet.
Republicans and right-wingers have been celebrating the Rittenhouse verdict, demanding an apology from Biden and calling for the 18-year-old to sue the president and corporate media for defamation of character.
“Joe Biden needs to publicly apologize to Kyle Rittenhouse,” Sen. Tim Cotton (R-Ark) tweeted.
“Kyle Rittenhouse: You have a defamation lawsuit against Sleepy Joe Biden!” Fox News contributor and attorney Leo Terrell tweeted.
“Hoping Kyle Rittenhouse gets a larger settlement than Nick Sandmann and George Floyd combined and then sues in Joe Biden for calling him a white supremacist,” @rising_serpent tweeted. “If he can bring down MSNBC while he’s at it, he should get a bronze statue in Times square.”
Rittenhouse’s supporters are referring to comments Biden made while campaigning against Donald Trump.
“I don’t know enough to know whether that 17-year-old kid, exactly what he did, but allegedly he’s part of a militia coming out of the state of Illinois. Have you ever heard this president (Trump) say one negative thing about white supremacists? Have you ever heard it? That’s the reason I got back in this race because what happened in Charlottesville,” Biden said in a 2020 interview with CNN‘s Anderson Cooper.
One of Biden’s campaign videos condemning white supremacy included an image of Rittenhouse carrying his rifle the night he killed the protestors.
The family of 26-year-old Anthony Huber, one of Rittenhouse’s victims, released a statement that echoed the sentiments of many.
“We are heartbroken and angry that Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted in his criminal trial for the murder of our son Anthony Huber,” the statement said. “Today’s verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son. It sends the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street.”
