Sen. Josh Hawley wants to ‘use political terrorism,’ ‘fascism’ in GOP’s ‘war on democracy,’ says MSNBC op-ed
MSNBC’s Ja’han Jones accused Missouri Senator Josh Hawley of wanting to 'terrorize political opponents' and the GOP overall of 'declaring war on democracy.'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The ReidOut Blog writer Ja'han Jones claimed Monday that Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., are trying to wield "political terrorism" in their declaration of "war on democracy."
"Missouri’s junior Republican senator, Josh Hawley, hopes Republicans use right-wing laws — like abortion bans — to terrorize political opponents and accumulate more power," he began, the latest in a trend of liberal commentators across multiple platforms using extreme rhetoric after the Supreme Court's abortion ruling.
Jones appeared to take issue with Hawley predicting that Republicans and Democrats will sort themselves into separate states based upon their preferred policies.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think we will see a major sorting out across the country that is already underway, as we speak, as states move to change their laws or adopt new laws in response to this decision," the senator said in an interview Friday following the abortion opinion's release.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 4: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting to vote on Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on Capitol Hill, April 4, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images).
He predicted that the result will be "More and more red states, they’re going to become more red, and purple states are going to become red, and the blue states are going to get a lot bluer."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jones took exception to Hawley thinking the country will get more red, "Who knows where Hawley’s confidence that purple states will go red is coming from? Voter suppression, maybe?"
Jones claimed that this endorsement of people sorting themselves into states where they agree with the policies "is an authoritarian plot to offer Americans three options: Comply, run or be crushed."
He followed by comparing it with the invasion of Ukraine: "The plot isn't far off from a legislative equivalent to Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy in Ukraine: Terrorize Ukrainians until they flee, occupy their territory and essentially claim it — all in an attempt to expand Russia’s influence."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - A man carries water in front of an apartment building damaged in an overnight missile strike, in Sloviansk, Ukraine, May 31, 2022. The U.S. intelligence community has launched a review of how it judges foreign governments’ will and ability to fight. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
The ReidOut Blog writer quoted a statement from Hawley explaining what appears to be confident, commonsense campaign strategy: "’I would look for Republicans, as a result of this in time, to extend their strength in the Electoral College,’ he said. ‘And that’s very good news for those of us who want to see Republican presidents elected, that want to see a Supreme Court that remains conservative.’"
Jones’ grim assessment was a simple: "That’s fascism, Josh."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He appeared shocked that the senator "openly espoused this deeply undemocratic theory on a call full of news reporters."
"The GOP is declaring war on democracy. And Hawley is flaunting their battle plans out in the open," he concluded.
Outside United States Supreme Court June 25 (Fox News Digital/Lisa Bennatan)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}By contrast, other commentators have praised the Supreme Court for giving more power to the states rather than keeping power exclusively for themselves. Executive Director of Right on Crime and former U.S. attorney Brett Tolman remarked in an interview with Mark Levin Sunday that the Supreme Court appears to have "reined in" its activism for the first time in his living memory.