In response to former Gov. Terry McAuliffe's new book regarding the tragic events in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017, the ACLU of Virginia has released the following statement:
"Governor McAuliffe’s book is yet another example of a politician’s effort to pass the buck of responsibility when there was a clear failure of leadership. While cities throughout the country have managed similar protests by white nationalists without catastrophic results, the abject failure of political and law enforcement leaders in Virginia allowed the Charlottesville Unite the Right Rally to spiral out of control and resulted in Heather Heyer’s death and other serious injuries. The leaders had ineffective and uncoordinated plans for managing the protest. Law enforcement did not keep the protesters apart or follow other best practices. These well-documented facts may not fit with the former governor's narrative, but they are indeed the facts."