Category: Violence

Trump Told Reporter Violence at Rallies Added ‘Excitement’

On CNN this morning, Michael Smerconish spoke with New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd about whether she’s said any “wrong” things about Donald Trump over the past year.

“I’ve gotten so many things wrong,” Smerconish said, “as Donald Trump likes to remind people about this cycle. What have you gotten wrong that stands out?”

Dowd said, “Oh, wow. I don’t know. You tell me. I don’t know.”

They both laughed and Smerconish said, “Maybe it’s all subjective.”

But one detail in Maureen Dowd‘s CNN interview this morning may give some insight into why Donald Trump lashed out at her afterwards.

Dowd told Michael Smerconish that during one of her interviews with Trump, she confronted him about the violence at his rallies, and this exchange ensued:

“I told him that it was wrong that there was violence being incited at his rallies and that reporters were being roughed up. And he paused, you’re right, he did listen, but then he disagreed and said he thought the violence added a frisson of excitement.”

She also asked him why he would attack Bill Clinton over his personal life when he’s not exactly had the most stable marriages.

(h/t Mediaite)

Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvzYIptzXXA

Trump Insinuates Hillary Clinton’s Assassination, Again

Donald Trump has once again insinuated that Hillary Clinton be assassinated, telling a crowd of supporters in Miami on Friday night that he thinks Clinton’s bodyguards should disarm in order to “see what happens to her.” The suggestion came after Trump falsely told the crowd that Clinton is “very much against” the Second Amendment and wants to “destroy” it. He then continued:

Guns. Guns. Guns. Right? I think what we should do, is — she goes around with armed bodyguards like you have never seen before. I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm. Right? … I think they should disarm immediately. … Take their guns away. She doesn’t want guns. Let’s see what happens to her. Take their guns away. Okay? It’d be very dangerous.

Not surprisingly, the comments — which elicited a big cheer from the crowd — were apparently not in Trump’s campaign-prepared remarks.

It was the second time that Trump has suggested that violence befall Clinton in relation to her gun control positions, having told a crowd at a meeting of the National Rifle Association in August that there was “nothing you can do” to prevent Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices if she was elected president, then adding, “Although, the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don’t know.” He and his campaign later indicated the remark was in regards to the political power of gun rights advocates, but the U.S. Secret Service still spoke with the Trump campaign about the comment.

For a major party presidential candidate to make even one insinuation of violence or assassination regarding an opponent is of course unprecedented in modern American history — let alone two separate remarks, as Trump has now made. Then again, precedent has rarely applied when it comes to Trump and suggestions of violence.

Trump’s comment on Friday was also, in part, similar to other previous statements he has made on the subject, like this tweet he sent in May one day after receiving the NRA’s endorsement for president at their annual convention:

He said roughly the same thing again early Saturday morning:

The false statement that Clinton is opposed to the Second Amendment and wants to ban all gun ownership is one Trump has repeated throughout his campaign. Clinton has regularly said that she supports the right of American citizens to own guns, but wants additional “reasonable” restrictions on gun ownership, such as a ban on assault weapons, an expansion of background checks to more types of gun sales, and new measures to prevent criminals, suspected terrorists, domestic abusers, and the severely mentally ill from being able to purchase firearms. In the past, Clinton has also supported other gun control measures such as the required registration of new guns.

Prior to making his suggestion about Clinton’s bodyguards on Friday night, the candidate framed the remark by insisting Clinton had, in her “basket of deplorables” comment about half of Trump’s supporters at a fundraiser last week, slandered “working people who just want a fraction of the security enjoyed by our politicians and certainly enjoyed by [Clinton.]” Trump also repeated his false assertion that some American inner cities are now more dangerous than war-torn Afghanistan.

In addition, Trump appeared to ridicule Clinton for taking time off from the campaign trail this week, which she did after suffering a bout of pneumonia and falling ill at a 9/11 memorial service in New York on Sunday. After saying Clinton “doesn’t have a lot of the energy” and is “totally unfit to be the president,” Trump bragged that he goes to multiple rallies in a day and asked the crowd, “Do you think Hillary Clinton can get through one?”

(h/t New York Magazine)

Reality

For the record, Clinton has a gun violence prevention proposal on her website, which would deny gun owners from buying certain guns and block or delay the ability of some to purchase guns. But it does not call for taking any guns away. Compare this writing to Trump’s 20 second video on his Second Amendment policy.

Among other things, her plan would:

  • Expand required background checks to include some private sales at gun shows and over the Internet, which include 40% of all gun sales.
  • Require a potential gun buyer to pass a background check before being sold the gun.
  • Reinstate the 1994 semi-automatic “assault weapons” ban.

Clinton has also come out against the controversial Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller” which determined that the Second Amendment is indeed an individual right, overturning centuries of court rulings which opinioned otherwise.

Nothing comes remotely close to Trump’s claim or other right-wing media claims that she intends to diminish American’s rights.

Media

Video Shows Aftermath of 69-Year-Old Woman Punched at a Trump Rally

Dramatic video has emerged of people chasing down a man believed to have punched a 69-year-old woman on oxygen at a Donald Trump rally, showing the escalation of emotions from both protesters and supporters.

Shirley Teeter told a local ABC News affiliate that she attended the event in Asheville, N.C., to protest Trump. She recalls telling supporters outside the rally that they should start learning Russian — alluding to Trump’s admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Then, she said, a man in front of her turned around and punched her in the jaw, knocking her down onto her backpack containing her metal oxygen tank.

“He turned around and just cold-cocked me,” she said.

Police issued a warrant for the man’s arrest on charges of assault.

(h/t LA Times)

Reality

Deplorable

Media

Waring: Not safe for work.

Trump Supporter Punched and Choked Protesters at North Carolina Rally

A man was captured on video appearing to choke a man and slap a woman who were with a group of protesters at a Donald Trump rally in Asheville, North Carolina on Monday.

The man, who was unidentified, was not arrested and was allowed to stay at the rally while the protesters were ejected from the event, CNN reports.

Prior to the incident, the protesters directed “an obscene gesture” in the direction of Trump, according to The Guardian.

The incident is the first instance of violence in months. During the primary season, there were multiple instances of violence at rallies, both among supporters and protesters.

Last month, the New York Times published a roughly three-minute video showcasing some of the obscenities hurled in the massive crowds in and around Donald Trump’s rallies.

At a Republican presidential debate in March, the brash billionaire said he doesn’t condone violence at his rallies, but at a previous event a month prior, Trump said of a protester: “I’d like to punch him in the face.”

(h/t Business Insider)

Reality

Trump, on multiple occasions, has defended violence against protesters, encouraged violence against protesters, and promised violence. It stands to reason that it is Trump’s actions and behavior that creates an environment where violence against protesters is acceptable.

Media

Trump Suggests ‘Second Amendment Person’ Could Stop a President Clinton

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appeared to joke about the possibility that Hillary Clinton could be shot in remarks at a campaign rally Tuesday in Wilmington, N.C.

Trump was discussing the possibility that Clinton, the Democratic nominee, would be able to appoint liberal justices to the Supreme Court if she wins the race for the White House.

He then said that there was nothing that could be done in that scenario, before mentioning “Second Amendment folks.”

“Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment,” Trump said to boos from the crowd.

“By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks,” he then added.

“Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”

The Clinton campaign responded with a statement, with campaign manager Robby Mook saying: “This is simple — what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.”

Democrats pounced on the comments, with Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) tweeting that the Secret Service must investigate Trump’s “threat,” while progressive group MoveOn released a statement calling on Republicans to reject Trump’s campaign in response.

A spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service said it was aware of the comments.

The Trump campaign downplayed the controversy in a statement attacking the “dishonest media.”

“It’s called the power of unification – 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power,” Jason Miller, a top Trump aide, said in the statement.

And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won’t be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.”

Trump has repeatedly used Supreme Court vacancies as a key cudgel against Clinton and a way to convince wary Republicans to jump onto his campaign.

Clinton staff began to respond on Twitter, with spokesman Ian Sams blasting Trump’s “new level of unacceptable behavior.”

Justin Barasky, the spokesman for the pro-Clinton super-PAC Priorities USA sent the clip out to reporters with the comment “THIS IS NOT OK.”

The comment comes just one day after Trump sought to reset the controversy dogging his campaign with a highly-touted and scripted economic speech.

(h/t The Hill)

Reality

If Donald Trump tries to claim the comment was meant to be humorous then someone needs to tell him speech like this is not a joke.

In 2011, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot outside a Tucson Safeway, by Jared Lee Loughner. Congresswoman Giffords was featured on Sarah Palin’s infamous ‘crosshairs’ map, which targeted legislators who voted for Obama’s health care bill.

While no connection had been made between this graphic and the Arizona shooting, war rhetoric like Trump and Palin’s has been linked to incitement to violence.

Watching the intention of the comment is clearly a dog-whistle to the NRA and other gun rights activists who hold an insurrectionist view of the Second Amendment, that it is the ‘ultimate check against government tyranny.’

If that was not the case, then why did the crowd laugh?

The Trump campaign’s statement that the comment was about unification, and gathering enough votes to beat Hillary Clinton in November is absolutely absurd. A simple look at Trump’s quote shows he was talking about after November, should a President Clinton try to pick Supreme Court judges there is nothing you can do, except for the “Second Amendment people.”

Donald Trump also clearly misrepresented Hillary Clinton’s position on gun control. She has never advocated for repealing or abolishing the Second Amendment.

Clinton has called for stronger background check requirements to keep guns out of the hands of “people we all agree shouldn’t have them — domestic abusers, violent felons, and dangerously mentally ill people,” all the while affirming her support for the right to bear arms.

Update

Thanks Fox News host Sean Hannity for helping me answer this controversy with your leading question! You’re a fair and balanced “journalist.”

Media

Trump Says He Would Like to ‘Hit’ DNC Speakers Who Disparaged Him

Donald Trump, after hearing speeches at the Democratic convention this week, said Thursday he wanted to “hit a number of those speakers so hard, their heads would spin.”

“They’d never recover,” he said.

Trump often uses the term “hit” to mean verbally attack, rather than physical contact.

The Republican nominee zoomed in on one speaker especially, though he didn’t mention his name.

“I was going to hit one guy in particular, a very little guy,” Trump said to laughs at a campaign rally in Davenport, Iowa. “I was going to hit this guy so hard his head would spin, he wouldn’t know what the hell happened.”

Trump said this individual “came out of nowhere” and had done work with Trump in the past. “He made deals with me. ‘Will you help me with this? Would you make this deal and solve the problem?’ I solved the problem,” Trump said.

His campaign did not respond to a request asking to clarify who Trump was talking about.
Several speakers this week have gone after Trump in Philadelphia, including Michael Bloomberg. The former New York City mayor made a surprise endorsement over the weekend for Hillary Clinton, and described Trump in his DNC speech Wednesday night as a “dangerous demagogue.”

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine also targeted Trump, mocking the businessman’s tendency to accentuate his promises with a plea of “believe me.”

“He said a lot of things about me, I never met the guy,” Trump said. “I mean the things that were said about me. I mean, should I go through some of the names?”
Trump recalled telling a friend this week that he wanted to retaliate against the people who slammed him at the convention, mentioning current New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio by name.

“I was going to say that de Blasio is the worst mayor in the history of the city, but I didn’t say it,” Trump said to laughs. “He’s a terrible mayor. I was going to say that, but now I won’t say it.”

Trump said his friend, who he labeled a “very great governor,” urged him to stay focused on attacking Clinton, not other Democrats.

“He said, ‘Don’t hit there. Don’t hit down. You have one person to beat. It’s Hillary Rodham Clinton,'” Trump recalled, adding that he initially objected to the advice. “I said, ‘But I really want to. I don’t like what they’re saying because a lot of it is lies. Not all of it but a lot of it is.’ I said, ‘I just really … it makes me feel good.’ ”

Ultimately, he said, he conceded and decided not to launch into verbal assaults against the Democrats.

“But every once in a while I still wake up, I say ‘boy, I wanna,'” Trump said, growling as he stopped himself from saying more. “Someday!”

(h/t CNN)

Reality

Donald Trump’s RNC speech borrowed heavily from Richard Nixon, using the dog whistle term “the law and order candidate.” And just like Nixon, it appears he’ll also have an enemies list.

Media

Secret Service Investigating Trump Adviser Who Said Hillary Clinton Should Be ‘Shot for Treason’

An adviser to Donald Trump on veterans issues said that Hillary Clinton should be put in a firing line and shot for treason.

New Hampshire state representative Al Baldasaro, who is also a Trump delegate from the state and has appeared with Trump at campaign events, made the comments on the Jeff Kuhner Show.

“I’m a veteran that went to Desert Shield, Desert Storm. I’m also a father who sent a son to war, to Iraq, as a Marine Corps helicopter avionics technician. Hillary Clinton to me is the Jane Fonda of the Vietnam,” he said. “She is a disgrace for the lies that she told those mothers about their children that got killed over there in Benghazi. She dropped the ball on over 400 emails requesting back up security. Something’s wrong there.”

“This whole thing disgusts me, Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason,” he added.

Baldasaro has spoken at several Trump events, introducing Trump multiple times, including at an event in late May where he admonished the media for focusing on questions over Trump’s donations to veteran’s charities.

He later added in the radio interview that Clinton was a “piece of garbage.”

A spokesperson for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Boston Globe followed up with Baldasaro after BuzzFeed News’ report and he said he stood by his comments.

Trump campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks told NH1 News, “We’re incredibly grateful for his support, but we don’t agree with his comments.”

As first reported by The Daily Beast, the Secret Service is investigating Baldasaro’s comments.

“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of this matter and will conduct the appropriate investigation,” a Secret Service spokesperson confirmed to BuzzFeed News.

(h/t BuzzFeed)

Reality

From promising to help defend supporters who beat up protesters in court, paying for their legal fees, to his campaign manager manhandling a protester, Donald Trump and his campaign has had a long history of supporting violence against those who disagree with them.

Republicans lead one of the longest, costliest and most bitterly partisan congressional investigations in history. In June, 2016, the House Select Committee on Benghazi issued its final report, finding no evidence of culpability or wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton in the 2012 attacks in Libya that left four Americans dead.

While there is no dispute that security was inadequate in Benghazi and that the State Department failed to respond to all requests for security, the total number of security requests cited by Mr. Baldasaro and others in the right-wing media has long been debunked as misleading.

Media

Protesters Attack Trump Supporters After San Jose Speech

Protests outside a Donald Trump rally in San Jose, California, descended into violence on Thursday night, with supporters clashing with anti-Trump demonstrators in running-battles around the convention center where the candidate spoke.

Hundreds of protesters, many of them Latino students and a large contingent of union members, had gathered peacefully outside in the late afternoon, at times jeering at his supporters as they passed by.

But after the rally finished, the protests turned violent as anti-Trump demonstrators chased – and in some cases punched and attacked – departing Trump supporters, some of whom appeared intent on provoking and fighting as well, while other protesters tried to prevent the attacks. Eventually riot police were deployed to control the crowd.

Inside the rally, the presumptive Republican nominee for president struck out at his main rival, Hillary Clinton, after her fiery attacks on him earlier in the day. In a blistering speech in San Diego on national security, the Democratic frontrunner lambasted him as “ temperamentally unfit” to be president and castigated his “thin skin”.

Trump, his voice brash, responded, saying he had thick skin instead of thin, but attacked her over her email controversy, even hinting that if he was elected he would send the former secretary of state to jail. He also said Clinton “wants to abolish the second amendment” and called her speech “pathetic”.

Sgt Enrique Garcia of the San Jose police department said police made “a few” arrests but could not provide details on numbers or charges. “There has been no significant property damage reported. One officer was assaulted,” he said.

The Clinton camp was quick to denounce the violence, with campaign chairman John Podesta tweeting: “Violence against supporters of any candidate has no place in this election.”

But the mayor of San Jose, Sam Liccardo, laid the blame squarely at Trump’s door. “We don’t appreciate [anyone] utilizing campaign tactics of demagoguery, and pitting members of our community against one another to propel their own political ambitions,” he told the Guardian.

The protests had started peacefully in the afternoon. Pooja Bachan, 18, attended with a group of her classmates who arrived from their high school graduation ceremony wearing baby-blue caps and gowns. “Donald Trump is misogynistic, xenophobic and racist,” she said. “I don’t support that for this country.”

“I have family members who are illegal immigrants and they’re scared,” said Monse Lozano, 18, of San Jose. “I’m a citizen and I can’t do much for them.”

Other demonstrators waved Mexican flags and chanted in Spanish and English. One man yelled at Trump supporters entering the arena: “Somos mas Americanos que todos ellos.”

Trump spoke to an audience of around 5,000 supporters, who barely filled a third of the cavernous space attached to the San Jose convention center. After his speech, as Trump supporters began trickling out of the venue, the tenor of the crowd outside shifted.

Bands of mostly young male protesters began chasing, and in some instances attacking, Trump supporters. As more fights broke out between pro- and anti-Trump people, the situation grew chaotic. After being spat on and punched by a protester, one Trump supporter turned to hit back and appeared to accidentally hit a pregnant woman standing next to his attacker, which further angered the crowd surrounding him.

The crowd moved into the street and began blocking traffic, while police maintained their distance. Some Trump supporters waded into the crowd, seeming intent on provoking scuffles.

Several protesters snatched red “Make America Great Again” hats from supporters, setting them on fire. Some burned small American flags and ripped up Trump signs.

At one point, a group of protesters entered the convention center parking lot, where Trump supporters were attempting to leave. Some banged on cars, yelling at the occupants, and one SUV’s tail light was broken. As protesters attempted to surround a Corvette, the driver gunned the engine, almost hitting several people and sending the protesters running.

“Now that I’ve turned 18, I want to be out there and stand up for what I believe,” said Martha Garcia, a student from San Jose, early in the afternoon. “The blood that runs through my veins is Mexican.”

As night fell, and riot cops began to move in on the protesters, Garcia expressed disappointment in the violence. “It’s sad to see San Jose representing like this. Trump is the one igniting the hate. You can’t fight fire with fire,” she said.

Carlos Ceballos, an iron worker from Salinas who travelled to San Jose to protest Trump, was more understanding of the violent outbursts. “I guess it happens to the best of us,” he said as the final protesters retreated from riot cops. Ceballos said he does not like Trump supporters, but as for Trump himself, “I hate him.”

(h/t The Guardian)

Reality

Violence has no place in our political process and should be condemned from all sides.

Donald Trump says a lot of divisive and hateful statements, escalation of tensions may only seem natural. However as a protester, engaging in violence only plays into the hands of Donald Trump and his supporters. It gives them justification for their false sense of being victimized and allows them to paint the opposition as “thugs” and side-step our real and valid arguments.

Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-1aSn_Pnhk

Trump Protesters Smash Door, Break Through Barriers

Protests at Trump Albuquerque, New Mexico rally.

Protesters lit fires, smashed a door and threw rocks outside a Donald Trump rally Tuesday night in New Mexico — the latest scuffle to follow the presumptive Republican nominee’s campaign.

The scene outside Albuquerque’s convention center was chaotic as police ushered protesters away from Trump’s event and into the nearby streets.

There, anti-Trump protesters — many critical of his positions on immigration — loudly chanted, “Fuck Donald Trump.”

The protesters had broken a glass door to the convention center. Some taunted police and jumped on police vehicles as officers in riot gear and on police horses moved them away from the convention center’s exits.

Trump had already left the event.

The scene was reminiscent of the violence between Trump supporters and protesters in Chicago in March.

This time, though, police kept protesters and Trump supporters apart, and didn’t arrest or clash with the protesters.

Despite initial word of gunshots, Albuquerque’s police department said on Twitter that there was “no confirmation” of gunshots.

“There is no confirmation that any gunshots were fired, contrary to reports. Possible damage to Convention Center Windows by pellet gun,” the department tweeted.

Police reported rocks and bottles being thrown at their police horses, but downplayed their clashes with protesters on Twitter, noting that they hadn’t used tear gas and had not arrested any of the protesters.

“The smoke that has been seen is not tear gas, it’s just smoke. We have not deployed tear gas at this time,” the police tweeted.

Police added: “Only arrests at this point have been from inside the rally.”

Inside Trump’s event, protesters disrupted him sporadically. At least three were forcefully removed by police after they refused to leave.
A group of a dozen protesters in the grandstands around the stage where Trump spoke unfurled banners that read “Undocumented Unafraid” and “We’ve heard enough.” Another banner accused Trump of being a fascist.

At one point, a woman in what appeared to be a bra was throwing fake money in the air in the stands behind Trump. She was eventually escorted out by police and security.
It’s not the first instance of violence at a Trump event. In March, there were violent clashes between Trump’s supporters and protesters in Chicago, at an event that Trump decided to cancel.

Protesters inside Trump events have faced violence, too. One was punched at an event in North Carolina, with the Trump supporter involved in the incident later facing criminal charges.

Eventually, the Albuquerque police tweeted, “Appears that most of the @realDonaldTrump protestors have left & remaining contingent is only looking to cause trouble & be destructive.”

(h/t CNN)

Reality

Violence has no place in our political process and should be condemned from all sides.

Donald Trump says a lot of divisive and hateful statements, escalation of tensions may only seem natural. However as a protester, engaging in violence only plays into the hands of Donald Trump and his supporters. It gives them justification for their false sense of being victimized and allows them to paint the opposition as “thugs” and side-step our real and valid arguments.

Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U89z2qdpErw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBrqWx_nG_4

Artist Who Drew Donald Trump With Small Penis Claims She Was Assaulted By Trump Fan

The Los Angeles artist who painted a viral portrait of a nude Donald Trump says someone gave her the typical Trump supporter treatment: Punching her in the face.

Illma Gore posted two photos of her bruised face on Instagram Monday, and said an apparent Trump-loving stranger attacked her several days ago.

“Today I was punched in the face by a man who got out of his car and yelled, ‘Trump 2016!’ in Los Angeles, just days after I returned home from London just down the road from my house,” Gore wrote.

“I am sad that this is the state of our America right now. I am sad that Trump, and many of his supporters, don’t find words enough to express their opinions – they need walls, waterboarding and punches.”

She tagged Donald Trump and urged him: “Make America Decent Again!”

Gore filed a police report, which she sent to the Daily News. The report says the attacker fled in a car right after the punch, and that Gore was not seriously injured. Gore told the News the aggressor was with “a group of guys in the car.”

The LAPD did not immediately comment on her case.

Reality

The artist Illma Gore received death threats and fled the country for a time. Shortly upon returning she was assaulted by an alleged Trump supporter.

Donald Trump has previously condoned violence against those who disagree with him.

Media

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