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Trump Calls Impeachment Inquiry a ‘Lynching’ Trump Calls Impeachment Inquiry a ‘Lynching’
(32 minutes later)
President Trump on Tuesday called the impeachment inquiry into him a “lynching,” using a term associated with the murders of black people to describe a process enshrined in the Constitution. President Trump on Tuesday called the impeachment inquiry into him a “lynching,” using a term associated with the murders of black people to describe a process enshrined in the Constitution.
In an early morning tweet, he added that the impeachment inquiry is “without due process or fairness or any legal rights,” and he encouraged Republicans to remember this in the future.In an early morning tweet, he added that the impeachment inquiry is “without due process or fairness or any legal rights,” and he encouraged Republicans to remember this in the future.
The term lynching invokes the decades-long racist history of white mob murders of black people beginning in the late 1800s and through the late 1960s.The term lynching invokes the decades-long racist history of white mob murders of black people beginning in the late 1800s and through the late 1960s.
It was a remarkable term for the president to use to describe a legal process laid out in the Constitution.It was a remarkable term for the president to use to describe a legal process laid out in the Constitution.
Mr. Trump’s Twitter outburst comes as pressure builds with the stream of testimony from current and former administration officials about his efforts to use the power of the White House for personal gain.Mr. Trump’s Twitter outburst comes as pressure builds with the stream of testimony from current and former administration officials about his efforts to use the power of the White House for personal gain.
The president regularly uses his Twitter feed to make hyperbolic declarations, but he has not used the term “lynching” in a tweet since 2015, during the Republican primary campaign. The president’s use of the word Tuesday drew immediate criticism. The president regularly uses his Twitter feed to make hyperbolic declarations, but he has not used the term “lynching” in a tweet since 2015, during the Republican primary campaign. The president’s use of the word Tuesday drew immediate criticism.
“You think this impeachment is a LYNCHING? What the hell is wrong with you,” Representative Bobby L. Rush, Democrat of Illinois and a former Black Panther leader, said in a Twitter post.“You think this impeachment is a LYNCHING? What the hell is wrong with you,” Representative Bobby L. Rush, Democrat of Illinois and a former Black Panther leader, said in a Twitter post.
“I know the history of that word,” Representative James E. Clyburn, Democrat of South Carolina and the House majority whip, said on CNN Tuesday. “That is a word that we ought to be very, very careful about.”“I know the history of that word,” Representative James E. Clyburn, Democrat of South Carolina and the House majority whip, said on CNN Tuesday. “That is a word that we ought to be very, very careful about.”
Hogan Gidley, a White House spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday that the president is not drawing a comparison between “what’s happened to him” and one of the “darkest moments in American history.” Mr. Gidley added that the president “has used many words” to describe news outlets that report unflattering details about him, and repeated Mr. Trump’s position that he was not getting due process.Hogan Gidley, a White House spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday that the president is not drawing a comparison between “what’s happened to him” and one of the “darkest moments in American history.” Mr. Gidley added that the president “has used many words” to describe news outlets that report unflattering details about him, and repeated Mr. Trump’s position that he was not getting due process.
The top Republican in the House, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, said of Mr. Trump’s lynching comparison, “I don’t agree with that language,” adding, “It’s pretty simple.”The top Republican in the House, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, said of Mr. Trump’s lynching comparison, “I don’t agree with that language,” adding, “It’s pretty simple.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and an ally of Mr. Trump on most topics, defended the word choice. “This is a lynching in every sense,” Mr. Graham told reporters on Tuesday. “If Republicans were doing this, you’d be O.K. with it, calling it a political lynching because that’s literally what it is,” Mr. Graham said. Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and an ally of Mr. Trump on most topics, defended the word choice. “This is a lynching in every sense,” Mr. Graham told reporters on Tuesday. “If Republicans were doing this, you’d be O.K. with it, calling it a political lynching because that’s literally what it is,” Mr. Graham said.
Pressed by reporters about the use of the term, Mr. Graham said, “Mob rule is what lynching is all about. You grab somebody because you don’t like them. A lot of people have been lynched throughout the world. This is political. I didn’t say they’re lynching the president literally.”Pressed by reporters about the use of the term, Mr. Graham said, “Mob rule is what lynching is all about. You grab somebody because you don’t like them. A lot of people have been lynched throughout the world. This is political. I didn’t say they’re lynching the president literally.”
While Mr. Trump’s use of the word was striking, it was not the first time the word had been used to describe impeachment proceedings.While Mr. Trump’s use of the word was striking, it was not the first time the word had been used to describe impeachment proceedings.
In 1973, during the Watergate scandal, one of President Richard M. Nixon’s most ardent defenders, Rabbi Baruch Korff, argued that the Senate Watergate committee had a “lynch-mob mentality.” Mr. Korff led a committee of Nixon supporters and invited them in 1974 to a rally “to challenge the lynching psychosis that is permeating the United States Congress.”In 1973, during the Watergate scandal, one of President Richard M. Nixon’s most ardent defenders, Rabbi Baruch Korff, argued that the Senate Watergate committee had a “lynch-mob mentality.” Mr. Korff led a committee of Nixon supporters and invited them in 1974 to a rally “to challenge the lynching psychosis that is permeating the United States Congress.”
“Some conservatives insist on calling the impeachment campaign against Nixon a ‘lynching’ even to this day,” Kevin M. Kruse, a history professor at Princeton University, said Tuesday on Twitter. He pointed to a recent piece published in August on the conservative website, American Spectator, about “new evidence on the lynching of Richard Nixon.” “Some conservatives insist on calling the impeachment campaign against Nixon a ‘lynching’ even to this day,” Kevin M. Kruse, a history professor at Princeton University, said Tuesday on Twitter. He pointed to a recent piece published in August on the conservative website, American Spectator, about “new evidence on the lynching of Richard Nixon.”
Michael D. Shear and Catie Edmondson contributed reporting.Michael D. Shear and Catie Edmondson contributed reporting.