LEVICK | January 12th, 2021
How to Stop the Madness

“From Andrew Jackson to Richard Nixon, we have seen presidents abuse their power, but we had never witnessed
an American president incite a violent mob on the citadel of our democracy in a desperate attempt to cling to power.”
– Representative David Cicilline of Rhode Island
IN MEMORIAM: This week’s essay is dedicated to Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick, who was killed in Wednesday’s siege of the United States Capitol, and Howard “Howie” Liebengood, who took his own life over the weekend.
The single article of impeachment, co-authored by Reps. David Cicilline (RI), Ted Lieu (CA) and Jamie Raskin (MD), states that President Donald Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors by “willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States.” I keep reading that sentence and – wherever you stand politically or if you have never so much as picked up a history book – is language we never, ever imagined we would read.
Shortly after I started writing this Monday morning at 6:00, a helicopter flew over my home, which is just off of 16th Street in Washington, DC, and consequential because it is at the DC-Maryland border. Helicopters are not permitted to hover over Washington DC, so the airspace over our otherwise tranquil neighborhood is prime space for news and military helicopters that want unobstructed views of the Capitol during demonstrations. During the summer, when the peaceful #BlackLivesMatter protests occurred, they hovered and hovered MASH-like for days, deep into the following mornings. On Wednesday, January 6th, a day that will live in infamy, the skies were virtually empty. With apologies to singer songwriter John Gorka, the “presence of their absence” was deafening.
There is no perfect political solution to our current dilemma. Censure might pass and, though serious, is the mildest of rebukes. The 25th Amendment has promise due to its relative speed, but requires a timorous Vice President Pence to do what is unthinkable for him. Impeachment is powerful but late, long and divisive. And, of course, it isn’t just the President who has gone off the rails. One hundred and forty-seven Republican Senators and House Members voted not to certify the election of Joe Biden after the attack on the Capitol.
What were they thinking? Playing with fire before the house burns down is at least vaguely understandable – but afterwards?
The fastest way to a politician’s soul is through their wallet. Even before the armed and organized mob seized the Capitol, one publication – the investigative Popular Information – had figured that out.
Starve the beast.
When I was asked to write a column last Wednesday night – with the Capitol still reeling from the assault, leaving broken glass, graffiti, stolen artifacts and feces in its wake, and the death of a Capitol Police officer not yet reported – my first thought was how this political tragedy would quickly morph to a boardroom concern. And it has.
Led by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Marriott and followed by JP Morgan, Citi, Dow Chemical, American Express, the PGA of America, Twitter, Facebook and dozens more, corporations across America are announcing limitations on political donations, access to their platforms and cancellation of high-profile events. As I mentioned to CNN last night, this shift is historic. At this moment of national existential crisis, we have turned to capitalists, as well as politicians, to help solve our most pressing problems.
A critical point here of gentle warning – those companies that are pausing all political donations to both parties rather than just the 147 Republicans, led by Senators Josh Hawley (MO) and Ted Cruz (TX) – who incited these tragic events – are employing old-line thinking for a radical new moment.
Heretofore, contributions to both parties were smart business, political and CSR decisions for most companies, though IBM found it helpful to stay out of the contribution game entirely, as founder Thomas Watson directed more than a century ago. Today is different. As the country and the GOP cleave, it is anything but leadership to punish both parties and believe it will be well received by history let alone tomorrow. Already, the powerfully effective Lincoln Project is preparing to “out” corporations who continue to fund the “the 147.”
A pox on both your houses is not an effective strategy.
This was not a protest that broke into a riot. As is clear by the planning, sophisticated weaponry and shocking videos of brutality against law enforcement and the hunting down of politicians, this was an army of mutineers that paused for a protest.
“I’m a firm supporter of the First Amendment. This was none of that. This was criminal riotous activity.”
—Resigning Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund
Richard Levick
LEVICK | January 12th, 2021
How to Stop the Madness

“From Andrew Jackson to Richard Nixon, we have seen presidents abuse their power, but we had never witnessed
an American president incite a violent mob on the citadel of our democracy in a desperate attempt to cling to power.”
– Representative David Cicilline of Rhode Island
IN MEMORIAM: This week’s essay is dedicated to Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick, who was killed in Wednesday’s siege of the United States Capitol, and Howard “Howie” Liebengood, who took his own life over the weekend.
The single article of impeachment, co-authored by Reps. David Cicilline (RI), Ted Lieu (CA) and Jamie Raskin (MD), states that President Donald Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors by “willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States.” I keep reading that sentence and – wherever you stand politically or if you have never so much as picked up a history book – is language we never, ever imagined we would read.
Shortly after I started writing this Monday morning at 6:00, a helicopter flew over my home, which is just off of 16th Street in Washington, DC, and consequential because it is at the DC-Maryland border. Helicopters are not permitted to hover over Washington DC, so the airspace over our otherwise tranquil neighborhood is prime space for news and military helicopters that want unobstructed views of the Capitol during demonstrations. During the summer, when the peaceful #BlackLivesMatter protests occurred, they hovered and hovered MASH-like for days, deep into the following mornings. On Wednesday, January 6th, a day that will live in infamy, the skies were virtually empty. With apologies to singer songwriter John Gorka, the “presence of their absence” was deafening.
There is no perfect political solution to our current dilemma. Censure might pass and, though serious, is the mildest of rebukes. The 25th Amendment has promise due to its relative speed, but requires a timorous Vice President Pence to do what is unthinkable for him. Impeachment is powerful but late, long and divisive. And, of course, it isn’t just the President who has gone off the rails. One hundred and forty-seven Republican Senators and House Members voted not to certify the election of Joe Biden after the attack on the Capitol.
What were they thinking? Playing with fire before the house burns down is at least vaguely understandable – but afterwards?
The fastest way to a politician’s soul is through their wallet. Even before the armed and organized mob seized the Capitol, one publication – the investigative Popular Information – had figured that out.
Starve the beast.
When I was asked to write a column last Wednesday night – with the Capitol still reeling from the assault, leaving broken glass, graffiti, stolen artifacts and feces in its wake, and the death of a Capitol Police officer not yet reported – my first thought was how this political tragedy would quickly morph to a boardroom concern. And it has.
Led by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Marriott and followed by JP Morgan, Citi, Dow Chemical, American Express, the PGA of America, Twitter, Facebook and dozens more, corporations across America are announcing limitations on political donations, access to their platforms and cancellation of high-profile events. As I mentioned to CNN last night, this shift is historic. At this moment of national existential crisis, we have turned to capitalists, as well as politicians, to help solve our most pressing problems.
A critical point here of gentle warning – those companies that are pausing all political donations to both parties rather than just the 147 Republicans, led by Senators Josh Hawley (MO) and Ted Cruz (TX) – who incited these tragic events – are employing old-line thinking for a radical new moment.
Heretofore, contributions to both parties were smart business, political and CSR decisions for most companies, though IBM found it helpful to stay out of the contribution game entirely, as founder Thomas Watson directed more than a century ago. Today is different. As the country and the GOP cleave, it is anything but leadership to punish both parties and believe it will be well received by history let alone tomorrow. Already, the powerfully effective Lincoln Project is preparing to “out” corporations who continue to fund the “the 147.”
A pox on both your houses is not an effective strategy.
This was not a protest that broke into a riot. As is clear by the planning, sophisticated weaponry and shocking videos of brutality against law enforcement and the hunting down of politicians, this was an army of mutineers that paused for a protest.
“I’m a firm supporter of the First Amendment. This was none of that. This was criminal riotous activity.”
—Resigning Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund
Richard Levick
- Brand
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- Here We Come
- Corporate Revolt Over Campaign Donations Shakes Political World
- What Happens Next?
- CSR & Sustainability
- Public Perception & the Biden Transition
- WATCH: Reputation Management with PRSA
- Over the River and Through The Woods
- Why Non-Profits are so Vulnerable to Crisis Risk
- The Threat to Free Markets
- What Happens When Nonprofits Get Caught In The Klieg Lights?
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Communications
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- Here We Come
- The Ministry of Common Sense
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- What Happens Next?
- CSR & Sustainability
- A Conversation with Abbe Lowell
- A New Year’s Resolution
- Public Perception & the Biden Transition
- WATCH: Reputation Management with PRSA
- Leveraging Legal Expertise in Communications
- Over the River and Through The Woods
- Company News
- Here We Come
- Recent Awards & Recognition
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- What’s a Director to Do?
- LEVICK Announces Partnership with BCG
- A New Look
- Albert Krieger, 1923-2020
- LEVICK Announces Partnership with Jipyong
- Speaking to In-House Counsel
- Childhood Lessons
- LEVICK Announces New Webinar Series with Turbine Labs
- LEVICK Launches New Website
- Crisis
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- What to expect as the clock approaches midnight
- How to Stop the Madness
- Corporate Revolt Over Campaign Donations Shakes Political World
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- No ‘justice’ in rep’s vote
- A Call for Orderly & Peaceful Transition of Power
- Recovering from the Greatest Sacrifice
- The Cost of Government Regulation and the Threat to Free Enterprise
- What Happens Next?
- A Conversation with Abbe Lowell
- Covid-19: The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened
- Finance
- Here We Come
- The Threat to Free Markets
- Advisory & Insurance Services
- WATCH: Revolutionizing Litigation Finance
- Litigation Finance: Revolutionizing Litigation
- Consumer-Focused Solutions for Financial Health
- Event: Consumer-Focused Solutions for Financial Health
- Sports: Power and Money in a New Age of Social Justice
- The Balancing Act: The Role of Whistleblowers in American Commerce and Government
- The Evolving and More Powerful FARA
- FCPA & Compliance in a Time of Uncertainty
- Shareholders vs. Stakeholders: Is the Paradigm Shifting?
- Guest Column
- Guest Blog: The Mainstream Media Gets an A for Intellectual Arrogance, an F for Journalism
- Buckle up Directors: Cybersecurity Risk and Bankruptcy Risk Are Not Mutually Exclusive
- Buckle up Directors: Cybersecurity Risk and Bankruptcy Risk Are Not Mutually Exclusive
- South Africa: The Slow Decline of the ANC
- Why CSR Fails and How to Fix It
- What to Expect Following the European Elections?
- Buhari Inaugurated. What Now for Nigeria?
- Marketing- It’s Up To You…
- Crisis Management lessons from the air-crash investigation model
- The Future of War
- Health
- Food Issues & the Biden Administration
- Covid-19: The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened
- Pharma’s Post-Pandemic Policy Outlook
- Keeping Hope Alive
- Real Herd Immunity
- The Fiction of College Sports Amateurism
- Mac Summit: Crisis Communications in a Post-Covid, Post-Election World
- Travel Industry Communications in the Age of Covid-19
- Track of Time
- Is C-19 Taking Women Lawyers’ Careers Back to the 1950s?
- Post-Pandemic PR Strategy
- Bankruptcy: A Culture of Transparency
- In Memoriam
- Snider’s Super Foods: Locally World Famous
- Speak Truth With Love, Not Anger
- In Memoriam: Stephen Susman
- Letter to the Movement
- John Lewis’ Life Bridged the Best of America
- Albert Krieger, 1923-2020
- In Memoriam of Marcia Horowitz
- Jim Lehrer Passes Away
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Harold Burson Passes Away
- Interviews
- CommPRO: Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Life & Legacy
- Richard Levick on “My Wakeup Call”
- Primerus Webinar: Into the Wind
- The Future of Baseball Post-Pandemic
- Webinar: The End of Brand Neutrality
- Thought Leadership & Organic Growth
- Man & Superman
- LEVICK Announces New Webinar Series with Turbine Labs
- Navigating Coronavirus Challenges in the Insurance Industry
- VIDEO: How to Anticipate & Avoid a Crisis
- What’s Next? with Julie Chase
- What’s Next?: California Electoral Behavior
- Law Firms
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Beyond Black Swan: Positioning the law firm for the new normal
- A Salute to Personal Courage and the Rule of Law
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- When a client becomes a law firm’s PR nightmare
- The General Counsel’s Dilemma
- A First Look at the Google Antitrust Suit
- The Latest Top Class Actions
- Trust on Trial: How Communicators Succeed in a World No Longer Trusted
- The Latest Settlements, Class actions, Investigations & More
- Managing Legal & Communication Advice in a Crisis
- Litigation
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- A Conversation with Abbe Lowell
- Leveraging Legal Expertise in Communications
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Beyond Black Swan: Positioning the law firm for the new normal
- A Salute to Personal Courage and the Rule of Law
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- When a client becomes a law firm’s PR nightmare
- The General Counsel’s Dilemma
- WATCH: Revolutionizing Litigation Finance
- Litigation Finance: Revolutionizing Litigation
- A First Look at the Google Antitrust Suit
- Our Work
- Recent Awards & Recognition
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- Crisis Communications & The Age of Cancel Culture
- Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
- Video: Conversations with American Legends
- Staying Ahead of the Crisis
- A New Era of Insurance Marketing
- Infographic: Judgment Free Zone
- Infographic: Barriers to Entry
- Infographic: History Meter
- Assistance for Law Firms Engaged in Pro Bono
- Webinar: The End of Brand Neutrality
- Public Affairs
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- What to expect as the clock approaches midnight
- How to Stop the Madness
- Corporate Revolt Over Campaign Donations Shakes Political World
- No ‘justice’ in rep’s vote
- A Call for Orderly & Peaceful Transition of Power
- Recovering from the Greatest Sacrifice
- Food Issues & the Biden Administration
- The Cost of Government Regulation and the Threat to Free Enterprise
- What Happens Next?
- CSR & Sustainability
- A Conversation with Abbe Lowell
- Risk
- Ingredients of Decency
- ESG Performance and Credit Markets
- The Coronavirus Saga is Just Beginning
- No. 1 Risk of the Decade
- The Risk Evolution of Corporate Risk
- Extend Risk Management Reach
- Collective Action
- Risk Identifying Software
- The New Risk of Doing Nothing
- Political Unrest In Hong Kong
- High-Profile Kidnaps in African National Parks
- Cyber Resilience
- Social
- The Ministry of Common Sense
- How to Stop the Madness
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- No ‘justice’ in rep’s vote
- A Call for Orderly & Peaceful Transition of Power
- Recovering from the Greatest Sacrifice
- CSR & Sustainability
- A New Year’s Resolution
- Dropping the Mic
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- Crisis, Covid, DEI & the Election
- MLK’s Memphis Address
- Technology
- Constella Intelligence Announces Hunter for Improved Investigation Capability
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- Digital Politics: The Future of Voting Technology
- Ethics in Electronics
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- A First Look at the Google Antitrust Suit
- The Pause
- Cybersecurity Incidents of the Summer
- The Changing Digital Economy and Cyber Risks
- The Future of U.S. Manufacturing
- Tech CEO Summer Superbowl hearing
- Technology & Privacy Alert
- This Week
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- A New Year’s Resolution
- Over the River and Through The Woods
- Dropping the Mic
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- What We Hear
- Track of Time
- Video: Conversations with American Legends
- Conversations with American Legends
- A New Era of Insurance Marketing
- American Legend