CNN anchor pushes back against ‘both sides’ claim that Democrats use violent rhetoric

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CNN host slams 'both sides' claim on violent political rhetoric

"CNN Newsroom" anchor Poppy Harlow pushed back against claims that both political parties have used violent rhetoric in the past in the wake of the FBI raid against Donald Trump.

"CNN Newsroom" host Poppy Harlow denied that Democrat politicians used or encouraged violent rhetoric on her show Thursday.

Speaking with former Under Secretary of Homeland Security Brian Murphy, she spotlighted recent calls by GOP House members Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar to "defund" or "destroy" the FBI following the raid on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home on Monday.

"Does that rhetoric make it actually in your mind more dangerous for these officials, for the FBI to do its job every day?" Harlow asked.

While Murphy warned about growing threats against the FBI, he added that both Republicans and Democrats are responsible for escalating violent rhetoric.

Cities saw widespread, often violent protests following the police killing of George Floyd that were encouraged by liberal figures (AP)

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"I think the two politicians just named, we’ve got to put them in context. It’s not just the right or left, it’s both sides, and what we've seen and what I’ve seen during my 27-year career of doing this, both 20 years at the FBI, DHS, and now at Logically, the company I’m at, is both sides get a vote here, and the two politicians you named certainly they bear some responsibility here," Murphy explained. "But we see this going back and forth. And the way social media works in today's environment, people fit within these ecosystems they want to live in and they're not taking in outside opinions. So, when you have folks of influence saying those types of things, it does have an impact." 

Harlow interrupted, "But, Brian can you specify by what you mean when you say both sides? Are you talking about any Democratic lawmakers right now saying things like what I just quoted from those two Republican lawmakers? What are you saying specifically?"

"Over time. I'll give a more recent example, so when the Supreme Court ruled on abortion, you know, we're looking at the same kind of ecosystem, and we saw people that were upset with the ruling to take violence as an answer to their grievance. And threaten and to, you know, carry out acts of violence," Murphy argued.

"Who?" Harlow asked.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., previously warned that Supreme Court justices would "pay the price" for their rulings against Democrat agendas. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Murphy backed down and said there is no "equivalency" between rhetoric surrounding the FBI and reactions to the Supreme Court decisions.

"My point is that where you have lawmakers speaking about the system in a way that is highly negative, and not kind of normal political speak, but with a point to it, people in social media will take that as a beacon," Murphy answered.

"Words have weight and they matter very much, especially when you're in an elected position of authority and power, but thank you for clarifying there that you weren’t equivocating on that," Harlow said.

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While Harlow and Murphy suggested Democrat politicians have not called for violence, many Democrats have used violent rhetoric or condoned protests against their rivals at their private homes. In 2020, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh would "pay the price" and "won’t know what hit" them. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also praised protesters' "righteous anger" against the justices for the leaked draft opinion that would later overturn Roe v. Wade and President Biden did not condemn protests at justices' homes.

After several protests against the Supreme Court justices, an individual traveled from California to Maryland in an attempt to assassinate Kavanaugh. Police found that he was primarily motivated by anger regarding the leaked draft opinion ending Roe v. Wade.

Nicholas Roske was arrested after attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavenaugh for his role in overturning Roe v. Wade. (Getty Images/Facebook)

Shortly after the assassination attempt, CNN correspondent Whitney Wild argued that "both sides" risked escalating violent rhetoric. 

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"This certainly contributes to this overall threat with landscape we've been talking a lot about," she stated. "This is an extremely passionate issue. There are emotions on both sides. Federal officials have made clear over and over they believe the risk truly comes from both sides of this abortion debate."

Fox News’ Kristine Parks contributed to this report.