President Donald Trump used a racially charged term on Tuesday to describe the House of Representative’s impeachment inquiry, calling the process a “lynching.”
“So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights,” he wrote on Twitter. “All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here – a lynching. But we will WIN!”
So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights. All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here – a lynching. But we will WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2019
For many, lynching a term deeply intertwined with horrific racial violence in the United States.
The president had his supporters today, however, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who vigorously backed up Trump. “This is a lynching in every sense,” he told reporters.
Senator Lindsay Graham on Donald Trump’s tweet comparing impeachment process to #lynching “Yes, this is a lynching and in every sense this is un-American” pic.twitter.com/yedjHLsC0I
— Sonia Dridi (@Sonia_Dridi) October 22, 2019
The president’s comment has also been met with outrage. Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass told CNN that President Trump’s lynching tweet is consistent with his pattern of throwing out “racial bombs” to his base when his back his against the wall.
“Whenever he has his back up against the wall, he throws a racial bomb,” she told CNN. “He knew exactly what he was saying. He knew exactly how it would come across.
“And I think it’s important for us to not always take the bait, but I think it was just an egregious statement,” she added.
