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Lindsey Graham sends an ominous message to Trump supporters

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Dr. Rashad Richey National TV Political Analyst, Talk Radio Host, Univ. Prof.
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Earlier this week on Fox News, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) sent a warning to Americans that if Donald Trump ends up being charged for stashing classified documents in his Florida home, riots will ensue. Some have wondered if Graham was making a prediction or issuing a threat. Straight Arrow News contributor Rashad Richey argues Graham was sending a message to both Trump’s most ardent supporters — and those opposing him — in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots investigation:

He comes on Fox News on national television and decides to dispute this madness. Why? Why did Lindsey Graham decide to say this? Why is Lindsey Graham being this dangerous? Here’s why. 

Lindsey Graham is sending a message not only to those who may actually engage in violence against our democracy, but he’s also sending a message – a threat, if you would – to the witnesses against the former President Donald Trump, to those who are cooperating witnesses against the former President Donald Trump. He’s sending a message to the investigators who are investigating the former president of the United States. 

Keep in mind all of the defenses that have been launched in support of the tyrant, known as Trump, have not said Trump is actually innocent. They’ve said things like, “Well, why would you raid a former president:” Or, “This is unconstitutional,” or my favorite, “Well, they must have planted the evidence at Mar-a-Lago.” 

And the list goes on and on. 

Giuliani even said, “Well, Trump was actually preserving these classified documents.” Trump’s team is saying, “No, Trump declassified it because of a standing order that nobody knows about.”

Here’s the bottom line. Those on the extreme right do not care about rule of law. They are willing to shred the Constitution to violate our understanding of decency, and civil democracy in order to do what? Not to save this country, but to save their power, not to save this nation, but to create a nation in their own image. 

Well, you know what?  I’ve seen it all. Now Senator Lindsey Graham, a sitting United States senator has literally said, If Donald Trump is indicted for mishandling classified information, there will be rioting on the streets. Now this is supposed to be Mr. Law in order Lindsey Graham. 

He comes on Fox News on national television and decides to dispute this madness. Why? Why did Lindsey Graham decide to say this? Why is Lindsey Graham being this dangerous? Here’s why. 

Lindsey Graham is sending a message not only to those who may actually engage in violence against our democracy, but he’s also sending a message – a threat, if you would – to the witnesses against the former President Donald Trump, to those who are cooperating witnesses against the former President Donald Trump. He’s sending a message to the investigators who are investigating the former president of the United States. 

Keep in mind all of the defenses that have been launched in support of the tyrant, known as Trump, have not said Trump is actually innocent. They’ve said things like, Well, why would you raid a former president. Or, this is unconstitutional. Or my favorite? Well, they must have planted the evidence at Mar a Lago. 

And the list goes on and on. 

Giuliani even said, well, Trump was actually preserving these classified documents. Trump’s team is saying no, Trump declassified it because of a standing order that nobody knows about. 

Here’s the bottom line. Those on the extreme right do not care about rule of law. They are willing to shred the constitution to violate our understanding of decency, and civil democracy in order to do what? Not to save this country, but to save their power, not to save this nation, but to create a nation in their own image. 

This is not the majority thinking of Americans. As a matter of fact, it’s not even the majority thinking of Republicans. Look at the data. The data is very clear. The majority of Americans and the majority of Republicans, they want our democracy to remain intact. They would like us to continue to move forward, even though both sides, both political sides, they have a reason to distrust government functions and government processes. That’s normative. 

We can all be objectors to bad behavior when government does it. But we also cannot simply neglect the reality that if a former United States President mishandled highly classified information, refused to hand it over, after a year of many attempts, that possibly, possibly this must happen. 

This has to happen. Understand Marjorie Taylor Greene is now saying defund the FBI. But when Black Lives Matter say defund the police because of massive police misconduct…. Black Lives Matter, well, they were called treasonous, anti-American, against patriotism, not for the country. 

But as soon as one privileged, well connected, former president gets raided by the FBI, everything changes. You see, this is more like a cultic behavior rather than a political movement. 

The fact that seemingly their leader Donald Trump can do no wrong, and every time he does a wrong that we have all established is a wrong, those that follow him to the extreme, will all of a sudden change their own moral compass in order to not judge him adversely. 

Do you not find it ironic? That many people who support Trump would tolerate and even celebrate behavior from him that they would not accept from their own children?

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