III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 575 

Honoring the memory of the 5 victims of the attack at the Capital Gazette 

in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 28, 2018. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 12, 2018 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. SCHUMER, 

Mr. ALEXANDER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BENNET, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BROWN, 

Mr. BURR, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. 

CASSIDY, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. COONS, Mr. CORKER, Mr. CORNYN, Ms. 

CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. DAINES, Mr. 

DONNELLY, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. ENZI, Mrs. ERNST, 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. GARDNER, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. 

HATCH, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. HELLER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. 

HOEVEN, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. JOHNSON, 

Mr. JONES, Mr. KAINE, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. 

LANKFORD, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LEE, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. 

MCCAIN, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. MORAN, 

Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. NELSON, Mr. PAUL, 

Mr. PERDUE, Mr. PETERS, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. REED, Mr. RISCH, Mr. 

ROBERTS, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SASSE, Mr. 

SCHATZ, Mr. SCOTT, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. SHELBY, Ms. SMITH, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. TESTER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. 

TOOMEY, Mr. UDALL, Mr. WARNER, Ms. WARREN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, 

Mr. WICKER, Mr. WYDEN, and Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the memory of the 5 victims of the attack at 

the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 

28, 2018. 


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•SRES 575 ATS 

Whereas the Capital Gazette traces its history to 1727 and 

is one of the oldest newspapers published in the United 

States; 

Whereas the Capital Gazette opposed the Stamp Act, a law 

that helped to precipitate the American Revolution; 

Whereas the Capital Gazette is a sister publication to the 

Baltimore Sun and maintains a reputation as a trusted 

and well-respected newspaper outlet that informs and uplifts communities in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, 

and Kent Island, Maryland; 

Whereas journalism is a cornerstone of the democratic society 

of the United States; 

Whereas local news outlets, including the Capital Gazette— 

(1) are focused on delivering truthful and thorough 

reporting, local investigation, and community advocacy; 

and 

(2) are unfettered by individuals or groups who seek 

to damage journalistic integrity by demonizing the media, 

spreading disinformation, and harassing and intimidating 

dedicated journalists; 

Whereas Thomas Jefferson said: ‘‘Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should 

not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.’’; 

Whereas, on the afternoon of June 28, 2018, a 38-year-old 

gunman entered the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, with a shotgun and smoke grenades and 

killed 5 employees; 

Whereas after the Circuit Court of Prince George’s County, 

Maryland, dismissed a spurious defamation lawsuit filed 

by the gunman against the Capital Gazette in 2011, the 


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•SRES 575 ATS 

gunman held a grudge against the newspaper and harassed and threatened the staff of the newspaper and 

other local news outlets and local public officials; 

Whereas during the attack, staff inside the building remained 

committed to their journalistic duty and continued to report by tweeting and sharing information while their lives 

were in danger; 

Whereas officers of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, and the Anne 

Arundel County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene 

within 1 minute after receiving the first 911 calls and 

bravely apprehended the gunman and evacuated the 

building; 

Whereas officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 

and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation 

and other Federal law enforcement officers also responded swiftly to assist local law enforcement and the 

Maryland State Police; 

Whereas other first responders also arrived on the scene 

within minutes of the attack, helping save lives and restore order; 

Whereas staff from the Capital Gazette and the Baltimore 

Sun affirmed their dedication to journalistic integrity and 

released a newspaper the morning following the attack 

that reported on the shooting and commemorated the 

lives of their friends and colleagues with 5 heartfelt obituaries; 

Whereas the Senate honors— 

(1) Gerald Fischman, 61, who was an editor with 

more than 25 years of service with the Capital Gazette 


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•SRES 575 ATS 

and who was known at the newspaper and throughout the 

community for his brilliant mind and writing; 

(2) Rob Hiaasen, 59, who was a columnist, editor, 

teacher, and storyteller and who brought compassion and 

humor to his community-focused reporting; 

(3) John McNamara, 56, who was a skilled writer 

and avid sports fan and who combined these passions in 

his 24-year career as a sports reporter at the Capital Gazette; 

(4) Rebecca Smith, 34, who was a newly hired sales 

assistant known for her kindness, compassion, and love 

for her family; and 

(5) Wendi Winters, 65, who was a talented writer 

who built her career as a public relations professional and 

journalist and who was well-known for her profound reporting on the lives and achievements of people within 

the community; 

Whereas the community of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 

survivors of the attack, loved ones of the victims, and 

mourners across Maryland came together to express an 

outpouring of support for the victims and their families; 

Whereas the State of Maryland immediately ordered all State 

flags in Maryland to be flown at half-staff in honor of the 

victims; and 

Whereas the flags of the United States were flown at halfstaff across the United States in honor of the Capital Gazette victims on July 3, 2018: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commemorates the lives, careers, and serv3 ice of the 5 victims of the shooting, Gerald 


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•SRES 575 ATS 

1 Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca 

2 Smith, and Wendi Winters; 

3 (2) honors the survivors of the attack and the 

4 families of the victims and pledges continued sup5 port for their recovery; 

6 (3) applauds the bravery and professionalism of 

7 the staff of the Capital Gazette who remained com8 mitted to their journalistic craft and their fallen col9 leagues during and after the attack; 

10 (4) thanks the State, county, local, and Federal 

11 law enforcement officers and other emergency first 

12 responders for their heroic actions; 

13 (5) recognizes the unity, compassion, and resil14 ience of the communities of Annapolis, Maryland 

15 and Anne Arundel County, Maryland, after the at16 tack; 

17 (6) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to 

18 defending the First Amendment to the Constitution 

19 of the United States; 

20 (7) honors media and journalism as core insti21 tutions of the democracy of the United States; and 

22 (8) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

23 the Senate transmit enrolled copies of this resolution 

24 to the Editor-in-Chief of the Capital Gazette. 

Æ 


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