Boarded up Stores in Democrat Cities Is Proof ‘Left Should Not Be Given Federal Power’: Kayleigh McEnany

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany holds a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington on Aug. 19, 2020. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told Fox & Friends in an interview Monday that businesses boarding up storefronts in Democrat-led cities in fear of post-Election Day unrest is “all the proof you need that the left should not be given federal power.”

McEnany was asked by Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy about reports of retailers taking precautions in expectation of civil unrest.

“They are increasing security in Portland, in Philadelphia, in Lansing, Michigan; Baltimore, Charlottesville, Detroit, Jamesville, Wisconsin, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, DC. What does that say to you about the state of America in 2020 that, if a certain candidate is elected or re-elected people are going to, rather than vote to impact change, they’re going to try to break a window?” Doocy asked.

“Notice what those cities have in common. They’re all Democrat cities. What are they saying with this boarding up, with this civil unrest that they’re expecting? They’re saying, ‘If you don’t choose the left’s chosen candidate, we will send the left out to attack you. That’s as close to extortion as you can get and Joe Biden has the power to say, ’Stand down' to the mob. Will he do it?” McEnany replied.

“This is all the proof you need that the left should not be given federal power. We deserve the great American tradition of democracy, of peaceful elections, of accepting the vote of the American people, but the boarded-up windows, the closed-down stores tell you all you need to know about the modern American left. The violence is unacceptable and they are not deserving of federal power,” she added.

Workers put up plywood to board up buildings as they make plans for potential civil unrest during the U.S. presidential race for the White House in Washington on Nov. 2, 2020. Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

McEnany’s remarks follow reports that many retailers across the nation are taking extraordinary precautions ahead of the hotly contested presidential election, with declaration of a winner potentially delayed amid historic levels of mail-in ballots and arrangements in some states that extended deadlines for their receipt.

The National Retail Federation (NRF), which represents some 18,000 businesses, has been preparing for potential post-election unrest.

“There’s certainly a chance that we could be facing, no matter what happens, property damage threats and violence,” said Stephanie Martz, the NRF’s chief administrative officer and general counsel, in remarks to USA Today.

Post-election violence is also a concern among American voters, with a recent USA Today/Suffolk University poll (pdf) finding that around 75 percent of them said they are worried about the possibility of unrest.

“Voters on both sides traditionally expect a trick-or-treat on Election Day,” David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk Political Research Center, told USA Today. “In this election, there is a much deeper fear of violence not only on Election Day, but for many days thereafter.”

Local and state officials across the country are considering activating the National Guard to support the election and stand-by in case civil unrest breaks out.