North Dakota political murder 'lands in the lap' of Joe Biden: Judge Jeanine Pirro
Pirro said President Biden 'started this extremist hate' rhetoric at his speech in Philadelphia
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The alleged murder of the North Dakota teenager who was mowed down over a political dispute "lands in the lap" of President Biden, Judge Jeanine Pirro said Thursday, blaming the president's recent rhetoric for fueling the "extremist hate" that she says led to the fatal incident.
"As far as I’m concerned, this lands in the lap of Joe Biden," Pirro said on "The Five." "Biden is the one who started this extremist hate, and I’ve said it before: Hate is hate. Hate leads to violence, and violence leads to retaliation."
Shannon Brandt, 41, reportedly admitted to fatally mowing down 18-year-old pedestrian Cayler Ellingson because he believed he was a Republican political extremist. According to court documents, "Brandt admitted to striking the pedestrian with his car because he had a political argument with the pedestrian and believed the pedestrian was calling people to come get him. Brandt admitted to State Radio that he hit the pedestrian and that the pedestrian was part of a Republican extremist group."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SCALISE WANTS BIDEN TO CONDEMN ‘LEFTIST VIOLENCE’ AFTER DEATH OF NORTH DAKOTA TEEN
North Dakota man who ran down 'Republican' teen says he doesn't want his own life, job jeopardized (Foster County Sheriff, Facebook)
Pirro pointed to Biden's recent speech in Philadelphia earlier this month where he suggested that "MAGA Republicans" are "extremists" who represent a "threat" to the United States.
"Those are the words that Joe Biden used and those are the very words that this murderer…used, the word ‘extremists,’ because the kid was a Republican and he thought that he was a MAGA Republican," Pirro said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Brandt was released from jail after posting $50,000 bond on Tuesday. Pirro said the charges against him, which include vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident, are "nonsense" and should be upgraded to a pre-meditated murder charge.
"I’m furious. This guy intentionally killed an 18-year-old young man because he didn’t like his politics. They have charged him now with criminal vehicular manslaughter, that is nonsense. This is murder," she asserted. "This is not just a typical criminally negligent homicide where you go in with the vehicle, and you accidentally kill someone. This is a guy who intended to kill an 18-year-old Republican because he was a Republican and used his vehicle as a weapon."
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on what he called the "continued battle for the Soul of the Nation" in front of Independence Hall at Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, U.S., September 1, 2022. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY/File Photo)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Pure and simple… it’s got be upgraded immediately," Pirro continued. "This was not some drunk who made a mistake. He got into the vehicle, he was able to open the door and start the ignition, chase the kid down who was a pedestrian. run over him and hear that thump twice as his truck rolled over and killed this kid."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the White House did not specifically condemn the North Dakota killing by name but said President Biden has made it "clear" that the United States rejects political violence.
"As the president has made clear, this is a nation that rejects violence as a political tool and we do not encourage violence," a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "It has no place in our political discourse and we condemn it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The White House also pointed to an excerpt from Biden's Philadelphia speech where he said, "There is no place for political violence in America. Period. None. Ever."
Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.