Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Condemning The Former President Spreading False Claims That Threaten Our Democracy
Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the dangerous lies that former President Trump posted to Truth Social, and called on all members of Congress to fiercely condemn them. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
I’d like to begin with a few words about Donald Trump’s dangerous post last night on Truth Social. What Donald Trump said – falsely suggesting his political opponents are out to kill him – is beyond the pale and is the stuff that leads to political violence. Donald Trump seems to have no consideration for the sanctity and peacefulness and further functioning of our democracy.
Everyone who was here on January 6th should immediately see what he is doing, what Donald Trump is doing: using conspiracy theories to spin the hard-right into a frenzy.
And it is despicable for members of Congress to spread Donald Trump’s lies. This is how people get killed, how the seeds of political violence are sowed, and how people lose faith in this democracy. Donald Trump has no regard for that. So, he would basically rip up parts of our democracy for what he thinks is his own personal gain.
Let’s speak truthfully: what the FBI did was follow standard practice. They worked with the Secret Service at Mar-A-Lago ahead time to coordinate how to carry out the search warrant. Donald Trump wasn’t even in Florida, but instead in New Jersey on the day of the search. So, this idea that his political opponents are out to kill him is absurd.
Every single member of the House and Senate, Democrat and Republican, should condemn Donald Trump’s outlandish and dangerous statement. It should be the easiest thing they do today. If words like Donald Trump’s are not fiercely condemned, we’re only begging for something far worse to happen to our democracy down the line. We cannot let this man – Donald Trump, or anybody else – throw these kinds of matches to light flames that could burn our democracy. It’s just horrible. I can’t believe someone would do something like that.
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