Local lawmakers respond to Saturday’s Venezuela mission

In the wake of Saturday morning’s strikes in Venezuela and the capture of president Nicolás Maduro, Wisconsin lawmakers shared their reactions. Senator Tammy Baldwin called the operation ‘unauthorized’ while Congressman Derrick Van Orden praised the president’s ‘decisive leadership’ in statements released Saturday. Baldwin’s statement said,  “After months of carrying out illegal strikes in the Caribbean, President Trump’s unauthorized military attack on Venezuela to arrest Maduro and take control of a sovereign nation puts American troops in harm’s way with no transparency, justification, or clear path forward.” She also added the President does not have the unilateral authority to invade foreign countries and it’s time for Congress to reassert their constitutional role in authorizing military force when needed and holding President Trump accountable. Van Orden’s statement said, “This operation sends a clear message to America’s adversaries: harming U.S. citizens carries consequences.”