Former State GOP chairman denounces President Trump at Seattle rally

By Deborah Horne, KIRO 7

It was a first for Chris Vance.

“Folks we live in dangerous, frightening times,” Vance told the crowd at Westlake Park.

The lifelong Republican was publicly standing up against the President from his own party before a crowd of Donald Trump’s fervent opponents.

“We must do what we are doing today,” Vance said. “Use your voice and your vote to say no to this. Things are going in the wrong direction. But we are Americans. We can change it. We can win.”

Vance is a former state GOP chairman, state legislator and King County councilmember. He says he can’t stay quiet with Donald Trump in the White House.

“It’s troubling every day,” he says, when asked what he plans to do. “I’m never going to be a Democrat. But it’s very hard to get up in the morning and think of myself as a Republican. Stay tuned.”

He was among several speakers at this rally.

“Can we unite?” Rabbi David Basior of Kadima Reconstructionist Community asked the crowd.

“Yes,” they responded.

“Can we unite?” he asked again.

“Yes!” came the reply.

The speakers said they were there to stand in opposition to the President and his white supremacist supporters.

“They are disloyal to our constitution,” said Ross Cohen, a veteran.  “They are disloyal to our flag. And they are disloyal to America.”

What a difference a week makes.   Last Sunday, Seattle police set off flash bang grenades to keep the peace among these anti-Trump protesters.  Others taunted the scores of officers who were there.  And five people were arrested.

The goal on this Sunday was to make a peaceful statement of resistance.

“A lot of us have been committing to fight racism,” said Levio De La Cruz, marching, sign in hand. “And how can we fight that without actually confronting those beliefs?”

The organizers say they don’t know when they will hold another rally, but they say they plan to keep marching until there is a change at the top.

A rally in Seattle was held last weekend, where conservative demonstrators and counterprotesters clashed. At least three people were arrested.