Democratic California Rep. Zoe Lofgren claimed Sunday former President Donald Trump’s criticism of the FBI after its Mar-a-Lago raid is “potentially” incitement to violence.
Lofgren made the remarks on CNN’s “Newsroom” after Trump appeared at a rally Saturday in Pennsylvania — where he called the bureau and the Justice Department (DOJ) “vicious monsters” that are “controlled by radical left scoundrels lawyers and the media who tell them what to do.” (RELATED: ‘His Speech Was Hatred’: Trump Blasts Biden For Attack On ‘MAGA Republicans’)
“Do you think that kind of rhetoric is more incitement essentially?” CNN’s Jim Acosta asked Lofgren, chair of the Committee on House Administration.
“Well, potentially yes,” she responded. “In the lead-up to January 6th, there were extravagant claims made meant to inflame public opinion, and that is what is happening here. Although I think it’s meant to turn people against law enforcement officers.”
“And we’ve seen that sometimes that rhetoric reaches people who are prepared to act on it,” Lofgren added. “For example, the fellow who was killed when he tried to attack the FBI agents in Ohio. This is not responsible, and the ex-president ought to stop it. But meanwhile, all of us, Democrats and Republicans, in elected office should call this out. This is not proper behavior.”
Trump and other Republicans have continued to sharply criticize the FBI after its Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago over boxes of documents with allegedly classified material in the possession of the former president. Republican Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher slammed on Sunday the FBI and DOJ’s “abuse of power” in connection to the raid – questioning why the House Intelligence Committee, which he is a member of, was not notified prior to it.
“It was not just my home that was raided last month. It was the hopes and dreams of every citizen who I’ve been fighting for,” Trump said at his Saturday rally, telling his supporters, “You’re all enemies of the state.”
Lofgren’s office did not respond to a request for comment, nor did a spokesman for Trump.
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