Eric Holder, attorney general under President Barack Obama, told a crowd that they should not be civil to Republicans but instead kick them.
After noting Michelle Obama’s saying, “When they go low, we go high,” Holder said, “No. When they go low, we kick them.”
“That’s what this new Democratic Party is about,” he added.
“We’re in this to win,” he added. “And the reality is if we don’t win, people who are less committed, less idealistic, less imbued with the values that make this nation really great, will run this country.”
Holder, who was speaking at a campaign event for Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Adams, a Democrat, later said he doesn’t want people to do things that are illegal, although physically assaulting people is illegal.
The exhortation is the latest from Democratic leaders telling people to confront elected officials amid a wave of violence and threats against GOP leaders.
Hillary Clinton told CNN this week, “You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about.”
“That’s why I believe, if we are fortunate enough to win back the House and or the Senate, that’s when civility can start again,” she claimed.
President Donald Trump condemned the remarks in an interview with Fox News late Oct. 10. “When I hear Holder making a statement like he did today, I think it’s a disgrace,” he said. “And Hillary, I really understand. She just doesn’t get it. She never did. She never will. And that’s why she lost the election.”
He also said that “the other side” was to blame for disruptions at his rallies.
“My rallies have been very peaceful and even at the beginning when there seemed to be conflict, they sent paid people to disrupt our rallies,” Trump said, reported Mediaite. “And when you do that, you know, bad things happen. But they were the ones that started everything. So noo, it wasn’t us. It was totally the other side. I would have a rally and paid people were going into those rallies causing trouble. And in many cases, it didn’t work out so well for those people.”
Following Clinton’s remarks, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a speech on the Senate floor on Oct. 10, that her remarks were encouraging “mob tactics,” reported Fox News.
“The far-left mob is not letting up. Earlier today, former Secretary of State Clinton sent this signal as clear as day. She told CNN exactly how she views millions of Americans who hold different political views from her own,” McConnell said.
“No peace until they get their way? More of these unhinged tactics? Apparently, this is the left’s rallying cry. But fortunately, the American people know that the fact-free politics of hate, fear and intimidation are not how we actually govern in our democratic republic. ... The Senate and the nation will not be intimidated.”
Pattern of Violence, Threats
Violence and threats have become more common in the Democratic party and their supporters, with a number of incidents happening recently.Democrat leaders have for the most part not condemned the violence and threats; a number have done the opposite, besides Clinton and Holder.