Pa. Congressmen Charlie Dent and Jim Gerlach each issued a statement on the shooting of Arizona U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords.
From Dent:
I am deeply shocked by the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords. Gabby is a remarkable woman and an exemplary public servant. My thoughts and prayers are with the Congresswoman and her family, as well as the members of her staff and local residents who were harmed in this terrible attack.
I am appalled this attack occurred at an event where Congresswoman Giffords was conducting one of the most vital aspects of her job as a Representative -- interacting with members of the community she had been elected to serve. American democracy is exceptional because of our steadfast commitment to preserving free and open debate. Actions like those taken today in Tucson have no place in our society.
From Gerlach:
Our thoughts and prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords and all of the victims of this horrific crime. This was a senseless attack on a public servant, her staff and constituents. Meeting and listening to constituents is essential to effective representation. It is truly a disgrace that anyone would exploit that accessibility to harm a public official.
Dent, a Republican, is the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district, serving since 2005.
Gerlach, also a Republican, is the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, servince since 2003.
Politics
Giffords and members of her congressional staff were shot during a public event in Tucson, AZ at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Giffords underwent successful surgery for a single shot to the head according to the latest reports. Giffords’ surgeon said during a press conference that he was “very optimistic” that she would recover from the shooting.
Authorities say that an aide to Giffords, a federal judge and a 9-year-old child were killed during the shooting.
