Democrats double down, say they will keep calling Trump a 'threat to democracy'
Hillary Vaughn questions House Dems after second assassination attempt against Trump
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After former President Trump escaped a second alleged assassination attempt, Democrats are refusing to tone down the rhetoric of calling the former president a "threat to democracy."
FOX Business reporter Hillary Vaughn asked Democrats on Capitol Hill if the rhetoric should be toned down:
"The fact of the matter is that he is a threat to democracy," said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think we should be clear that he is a threat to democracy," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wa., and argued that "his (Trump) rhetoric should be toned down, absolutely."
"He is a threat. Period. Point-blank," said Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas.
U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) waves during Day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024. (REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid)
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., slammed Democrats for their statements Friday, telling "Fox & Friends" that "everybody needs to tone it down" as the election nears.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Calling him a threat to democracy is ridiculous. Our democracy will endure as it has for 248 years. We're going to be fine no matter who wins the election," said Lawler.
"At the same time, they gaslight the nation for an entire year about Joe Biden's cognitive abilities and then undermine 14.6 million Democratic primary voters and throw him out and install Kamala Harris. You can't really talk about threats to democracy when you do things like that," said Lawler.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. said on "Fox & Friends First" that "the left is completely tone-deaf" about the consequences of their incendiary rhetoric.
"I live with these threats every day. And I can't imagine the fear that the Trump family has every time they're out there. They're outspoken. They love our country. You shouldn't be shot at because you love the United States of America like Donald Trump," said Mace.
Rep. Nancy Mace speaks on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 17, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
Earlier this year, President Biden told donors in a private call that the media isn’t doing enough to scrutinize Trump and that it was "time to put Trump in the bulls-eye." Biden, after the first assassination attempt against Trump, acknowledged it was a "mistake" to use that term.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The president, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, have accused Trump of being a "threat to Democracy" on several occasions.
Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman, who quickly apologized for the comment, said last year that Trump is so "dangerous" to democracy that he "has to be eliminated."
"More and more dangerous. We saw what happened on January 6th, when he used his inflammatory rhetoric now, and his recent truth social post is incredibly, incredibly scary for anyone that might be trying to work in government. And it is just unquestionable at this point that man cannot see public office again. He is not only unfit, he is destructive to our democracy, and he has to be eliminated."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Goldman strongly condemned political violence after the first assassination against Trump, saying that he was "horrified" by the news. Following the second assassination attempt, Goldman said he was "outraged."
Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters has long been criticized by Republicans for comments viewed to be inciting violence, including telling protesters in Minnesota to "get more confrontational" and encouraging Democrats to confront Trump officials if they see them in public.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.