Sen. Lindsey Graham joked that Trump should "punch a cop" on his way to being booked in Manhattan.
He said that Trump would then "avoid prosecution" and be "released IMMEDIATELY!"
It was an apparent joke about DA Alvin Bragg's criminal justice-focused policies.
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Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina says he's got a plan to keep former President Donald Trump from being prosecuted after being indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan on Thursday — assaulting a police officer and engaging in robbery.
"How can President Trump avoid prosecution in New York?," asked Graham on Twitter. "On the way to the DA's office on Tuesday, Trump should smash some windows, rob a few shops and punch a cop."
The senator added: "He would be released IMMEDIATELY!"
Graham, a close Trump ally and one of just five senators who've publicly endorsed the former president's 2024 campaign, appeared to be making a joke playing off conservative critiques of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's record on crime in the city.
As they've rushed to Trump's defense amid a grand jury indictment in Bragg's probe into Trump's handling of a "hush money" payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels, many Republicans have argued that Bragg has not done enough to prosecute other crimes in the city and should shift his focus.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, in a tweet criticizing Bragg, said the DA "routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public.
And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a potential rival for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination — said that Bragg "consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent."
A progressive prosecutor, Bragg has come under fire for emphasizing criminal justice reform and seeking to reduce incarceration. Most controversially, he issued a "Day One memo" instructing prosecutors to only pursue jail time for the most violent offenses, which he later walked back.
HuntingGreyFace on March 31st, 2023 at 22:38 UTC »
Misconduct in office: Elected officials are held to a higher standard of conduct due to their positions of public trust. In many jurisdictions, misconduct in office, also known as official misconduct or malfeasance in office, is an offense that may be charged against a public officer who knowingly and willfully abuses their authority or engages in conduct that violates their official duties. Encouraging an individual to engage in illegal acts, such as "smashing windows" and "punching a cop," may constitute an abuse of authority or a breach of the elected official's duty to uphold the law, thereby exposing them to potential criminal charges for misconduct in office.
Incitement to violence or criminal conduct: Under federal and state criminal statutes, inciting or encouraging others to engage in violent or unlawful behavior may be considered a criminal offense. For instance, under 18 U.S. Code § 373, solicitation to commit a crime of violence is punishable by imprisonment and/or fines. If the elected official's advice to Trump can be reasonably construed as an attempt to incite him to commit acts of violence or other criminal conduct, the official may be held criminally liable for incitement or solicitation.
Violation of ethics rules: Elected officials are typically bound by codes of ethics that establish standards of conduct and prohibit conflicts of interest, corruption, and other forms of misconduct. Encouraging an individual to engage in illegal behavior may be deemed a violation of the ethical standards to which the elected official is subject. Depending on the jurisdiction and the specific code of ethics, such a violation could result in administrative penalties, removal from office, or other disciplinary measures.
I see no reason to retain this employee of the American people.
Vin-Metal on March 31st, 2023 at 22:11 UTC »
Your law and order party
mybustlinghedgerow on March 31st, 2023 at 22:11 UTC »
Ha, he’s just freaking out because he knows he committed some major crimes by helping Trump’s election interference attempts. See you in court soon, you spineless coward.