Tom Boggioni
August 12, 2022
Ronna Romney McDaniel (Photo via Olivier Douliey for AFP)
Late Thursday, the president of Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association lashed out at Republicans who have been attacking the FBI and Department of Justice employees for their part in serving a warrant for classified materials at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort earlier in the week.
Since FBI agents descended on the former president's Florida home at the direction of Attorney General Merrick Garland, Republican Party lawmakers have been raising a fuss that has included calls to "defund the FBI" as well as calling for investigations and purging of DOJ officials if the GOP takes control of the House in November.
With that in mind, the Washington Post reports that Larry Cosme issued a statement stating the GOP lawmakers making threats about "coming for you" is far beyond the pale.
While noting a Cincinnati man attacked an FBI field office -- and subsequently died -- Thursday afternoon with the assault directly attributed to the violent rhetoric against the department due to the Mar-a-Lago investigation, Cosme stated, "The rank-and-file officers on the street and agents, they are career employees that … cherish the Constitution like the average American."
He added, "So for them to be attacked by these individuals that believe something else — or they’re believing, you know, someone’s rhetoric that’s uncalled for — to me, it’s shameful and disgusting.”
The Post report adds that Republican National Committee head Ronna Romney McDaniel is also at fault, pointing out that she inflamed conservatives with an op-ed for Fox News insisting, "Trump targeted by Biden administration, and they can do it to you, too.”
The report adds, "The FBI is not the only target of such rhetoric: Republicans this week have also been warning Americans that an army of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents is 'coming' for them, as Democrats seek to boost the tax agency’s funding and ability to pursue tax dodgers. Many in the GOP have zeroed in on the fact that certain special agents carry guns, casting them as a threat or falsely suggesting the IRS is arming tens of thousands of new employees. Treasury Department officials have said the proposed funding is meant to target high-income tax evasion."
FBI agents condemn threats against agency after Trump raid
2022/8/11
© Agence France-Presse
© Agence France-Presse
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation came under attack by conservatives after its agents raded Donald Trump's home
Washington (AFP) - The FBI Agents Association said Thursday that the surge of threats against them after the raid on the home of former president Donald Trump encouraged violence against law enforcement and was "unacceptable."
Conservative politicians and Trump himself bashed the Federal Bureau of Investigation as "corrupt" and "politicized" following the raid Monday, in which agents sought classified documents that Trump had retained in violation of rules on official records.
That was followed by a surge of violent threats against the FBI and Justice Department on social media and in conservative chat rooms.
"Special Agents and their families should never be threatened with violence, including for doing their jobs," the association said in a statement.
"The threats made recently contribute to an atmosphere where some have, or will, accept violence against law enforcement as appropriate. It is not," it said.
The statement was released shortly after Attorney General Merrick Garland said he himself had approved the unprecedented raid on a former president's home.
Garland called the attacks on the FBI "unfounded."
"I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked," he said.
After the raid Monday, Trump issued a statement saying his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida was "under siege, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents."
"Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third World Countries," Trump said.
Hour Republican leader Kevin McCarthy accused the FBI and the Justice Department of "weaponized politicization.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz said the FBI had become "an attack dog to help the Democrats" and Republican Congressman Paul Gosar tweeted that "we must destroy the FBI."
Another fervent Trump supporter, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, attacked the agency and spoke of "civil war."
"The FBI has gone rogue and is doing the dirty work of a communist regime," she said on Twitter.
"This is not a partisan or political issue," the agents' association said in their statement.
"Calls for violence against law enforcement are unacceptable, and should be condemned by all leaders."
The statement also came after an armed man's attack on the FBI's office in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Thursday which turned into a pursuit of the suspect into the countryside, in which the man exchanged gunfire with law enforcement.
Officials later said the situation was later contained, without providing details. The reason for the attack remained unclear.
Washington (AFP) - The FBI Agents Association said Thursday that the surge of threats against them after the raid on the home of former president Donald Trump encouraged violence against law enforcement and was "unacceptable."
Conservative politicians and Trump himself bashed the Federal Bureau of Investigation as "corrupt" and "politicized" following the raid Monday, in which agents sought classified documents that Trump had retained in violation of rules on official records.
That was followed by a surge of violent threats against the FBI and Justice Department on social media and in conservative chat rooms.
"Special Agents and their families should never be threatened with violence, including for doing their jobs," the association said in a statement.
"The threats made recently contribute to an atmosphere where some have, or will, accept violence against law enforcement as appropriate. It is not," it said.
The statement was released shortly after Attorney General Merrick Garland said he himself had approved the unprecedented raid on a former president's home.
Garland called the attacks on the FBI "unfounded."
"I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked," he said.
After the raid Monday, Trump issued a statement saying his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida was "under siege, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents."
"Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third World Countries," Trump said.
Hour Republican leader Kevin McCarthy accused the FBI and the Justice Department of "weaponized politicization.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz said the FBI had become "an attack dog to help the Democrats" and Republican Congressman Paul Gosar tweeted that "we must destroy the FBI."
Another fervent Trump supporter, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, attacked the agency and spoke of "civil war."
"The FBI has gone rogue and is doing the dirty work of a communist regime," she said on Twitter.
"This is not a partisan or political issue," the agents' association said in their statement.
"Calls for violence against law enforcement are unacceptable, and should be condemned by all leaders."
The statement also came after an armed man's attack on the FBI's office in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Thursday which turned into a pursuit of the suspect into the countryside, in which the man exchanged gunfire with law enforcement.
Officials later said the situation was later contained, without providing details. The reason for the attack remained unclear.
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