'There will be folks who try to kill us,' says Republican congressman on going against Trump

[UpInArms]

Source: CNBC

Republican Congressman Peter Meijer from Michigan was one of only nine freshmen GOP lawmakers who voted to uphold the Nov. 3 election results. He told CNBC’s “The News with Shepard Smith” that his life could now be at risk because of it.

“We realize that was a vote we cast that put our safety at risk and going forward, I am expecting there will likely be more political violence,” said Meijer. “So my expectation and the expectation of some folks I’m talking to who are trying to vote our conscience on this, there will be folks that try to kill us, and that’s something we have to grapple with every day.”

Meijer added that, in turn, that threat of violence has compelled and will continue to intimidate some of his Republican colleagues into voting on the side of the Trump administration. In an op-ed, Meijer wrote that a fellow lawmaker only objected to President-elect Joe Biden’s win because they were afraid that President Trump’s supporters would come after his or her family.

“That was what weighed on the colleague in mind’s conscience, and the last thing that that individual said to me, concern about the safety of that individual’s family, if that individual voted to certify the election,” Meijer said. “That is where the rhetoric has brought us. That is the degree of fear that’s been created.”

... snip ...

“Instead of telling the people of America and their supporters what they need to hear, we have had too many politicians telling them what they want to hear,” Meijer said. “That type of reactive leadership is not going to make the Republican party ever be a party that is trusted to govern in this country again, and we need to fix it.”

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/11/people-will-try-to-kill-us-says-gop-lawmaker-on-going-against-trump.html

[Mike 03]

1. There is security in numbers. If as many GOP as possible get on the same page

at the same time, rather than coming forward piecemeal one at a time, a tweet here and a tweet there, they might be safer and have a more profound impact.

They really should do this strategically, publically and in substantial numbers. It would have so many benefits and in all likelihood lessen the personal danger to themselves (although that should never be discounted and they need and deserve protection).

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

2. They're already trying to kill us.

It's your job to protect us by keeping your oath to protect the nation against all enemies, domestic or foreign.

Can't do that? Resign.

[gab13by13]

13. Fucking ehh,

all the more reason to vote the way he did. The threats should tell him he is voting the right way. Voting to ignore an attempted coup is what is dangerous.

[raccoon]

3. Republicans allowed the Dotard to get away with everything

For four years.

You knew he was a snake.

[Beartracks]

26. For his part, Meier is apparently new to Congress. n/t

[Mr. Sparkle]

4. As if conformation wasnt needed, these people are terrorists ... plain and simple.

They all, should be threated as such and feel the full force of the law.

[RicROC]

5. gun control

He still doesn't have a clue as to the reason for sane, gun control regulations.

[OldBaldy1701E]

6. Heh

“We realize that was a vote we cast that put our safety at risk and going forward, ...there will be folks that try to kill us, and that’s something we have to grapple with every day.” (Says the white person who has now began to understand what every single black person in this country has had to live with their entire lives.) Watching the reactions of so many whites who are now on the receiving end (tepid though it may be) of the same behavior that they were cheering on when it was being used against BLM is so very satisfying. His concern for his party is interesting, but as stated, they knew they were courting a snake and they still bared their throat to it. Tough.

[handmade34]

7. scared (because of lies)?

quit!

[Jon King]

8. This is why all things Trump must be destroyed...

Trump must be brought down in every possible way while simultaneously the new DOJ uses every charge it can to arrest as many right wingnuts as it can. My guess is Merrick Garland and his assistants are looking at these initial charges and laughing. So many more will be charged with so much more over the coming months.

They must see their supreme leader and their local leaders humiliated.

[RocRizzo55]

9. Someone tell him that we don't want them dead

we want them in prison for the crimes they have committed.

[3Hotdogs]

10. He ain't talking about us wanting him dead.

It's his own radical, conservative, gun humping loonies that will want to kill him for not voting for Trump's lies.

[gab13by13]

14. All the more reason for him to vote the way he did,

He can vote for lies or vote for the truth. He can vote for a coup or vote for democracy. He took a fucking oath to defend the Constitution, there was no clause in his oath that stated unless people are threatening you.

[llmart]

11. The excuses those who refused to certify Biden's election are coming up with are so transparent.

Like this one:

"a fellow lawmaker only objected to President-elect Joe Biden’s win because they were afraid that President Trump’s supporters would come after his or her family."

I call b.s. Not fearful of getting Covid and dying from not wearing a mask or social distancing, but now they're fearful of their own party's base who put them in office? Sorry. I don't buy it. (I'm looking at you, Lisa McClain.)

[Martin Eden]

12. Government by Death Threats

Not what our nation's Founders had in mind.

Yet the thugs making these threats call themselves patriots and claim to revere our Constitution.

[gab13by13]

16. Some are voting for the coup because they are afraid,

but a lot of them like Mo Brooks are exactly like the thugs, racist misogynist, anti-Semitic traitors. People like Brooks and Cruz and Hawley need to be expelled from Congress. Every Democratic member of Congress needs to speak with a united voice in calling them seditionists. Speak loudly and carry a big stick.

[Martin Eden]

25. The leaders of the leaders of the coup are worse

... than the idiots making the death threats.

Hawley, Cruz, et all KNOW the election was legit. They are lying to their voters and committing sedition for personal political gain.

[The Blue Flower]

15. The very definition of terrorism

We simply cannot allow this kind of mob rule.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. We have entered "The Reign of Terror"

Crane Brinton's classic 1920s or 30s book, "The Anatomy of Revolution" studied 4 revolutions as I recall. It was read by generations of college students as background for history and political change. It is no less relevant today.

[Joinfortmill]

18. The leaders of this treason need to be pulled from their hidey holes into the light.

[twodogsbarking]

19. I think you are supposed to hide under your desk

Last edited Tue Jan 12, 2021, 04:15 PM - Edit history (1)

and worry you are going to hell soon.

[myohmy2]

20. smells...

...like fascism running wild in the GOP...

...Hitler would be proud...

[Dem forever]

21. Round them up and throw away the key

They want a riot then they pay the price. Either with their life or imprisonment period. I’m not changing my way of life because of these threats. I’ve already changed my way of life because of the way this virus was handled by this administration. Fuck them and go to hell you morons. You lost because you are fuckin losers. Losers all your fuckin life. Be prepared for the biggest lost of all your fuckin life. Sorry but I’ve had enough of this insane group of deplorables.

[COL Mustard]

22. Yeah, Peter, And They're YOUR Folks

Born and in-bred, in many cases.

I know you're new to the scene, and you seem like a decent guy, for a Republican and all, but these are your peeps...they're the ones who support you. Don't try to slip the blame over onto Antifa or Soros or anyone else. You know better...you were an Intel analyst in the Army.

[C_U_L8R]

23. They're trying to kill Americans

and you're fucking job is to protect US.
Do your job or resign.

[scarytomcat]

24. You make this guy the leader of your party and now you have a

problem? I say your best bet is to get out of Dodge. Run you fool run! cuzz we air coming fer ya

[jaxexpat]

27. These "scared for their lives" cretins can take their punitive little selves and work to put these..

mobsters away. If they have an ounce of wit and really do "fear for their families" they'll BEG to be aligned with the only ones who would remove the phony "patriots" from our streets, restoring the national equilibrium, Democrats. We'll see. We'll see because it will soon become obvious who is sincere and who's still playing politician for personal aggrandizement. Obvious to even the most poly/sci disconnected, the most blind, the most deaf.

Their first test is: How do they support the security of Biden's inauguration? There's a reason Trump is quiet besides his twitter time-out.
Does anyone seriously think he's out of communication with the insurrectionists? He is working to an end wherein Biden will not be a duly sworn in POTUS. The fevered fantasy which his mind substitutes for higher thinking has no vision of vacating his office. Instead it's consumed by a larger, more powerful, unstoppable, vigilante force that will sweep the inauguration away and force the country to accept his permanency. There are still those who support his delusions. Is their placement in the Pentagon supported by peers?

Until noon, January 20th, and perhaps after, we are all Paul Atreides, our hand in a mysterious box of pain.

Or, it'll be alright.

[Roc2020]

28. So then what's the soluton?

Trump loss. FACT. Function in reality. Deal with reality. Running from reality ONLY ends in destruction.

[knightmaar]

29. I wonder what their actual danger level is compared to say...

"Black man at a peaceful protest rally"
or
"Black woman getting pulled over for speeding"

Sauce for the goose, Mr. Saavik. The odds will be even.

[Ford_Prefect]

30. The GOP has been beaded down this road since Reagan and has no excuse.

They were willing to let children die at the border, older and financially frail people starve in the streets, and attacked anyone who raised questions or offered another approach within their own party. They have built the entire GOP structure on this perverse version of loyalty to their dogma and leadership. It was a plan by conservative leaders and it has produced the situation we have before us. Trump has taken it to the destructive and violent extreme but W&Cheney were only a few more devious steps less obvious. The whole Tea Party of angry resistance and "Owning the Libs" paved the way for Trump and Putin.

The undercurrents of racist violence were visible during the Obama years to anyone who looked directly at them. Militarized racist cops are not new and have been a growing concern since Gulf War I. Neo-Cons have stoked the white racist movement and the violent race warrior fringe through indirect financial support, arranging coordination and networking between elements of this movement along with publishing and distribution their propaganda. They have also coordinated GOP support and rhetoric along with carefully coded remarks on TV and in Congress.

In short if you are now a Republican you were already on board with the plan because it is the basis of the party. You're fooling yourself if you think the attack on the Capitol was an aberration and not the outcome of GOP party planning and strategy. If you think those big contributors now rushing to avoid the party did not know where this was going you are likewise naive. They've poured money by the Truckload into the party for the last 12 years and never raised an objection to GOP or Trump rhetoric. It was not just political hype. It was what the party wanted and was built to achieve: Ultimate Power and top to bottom, single party US and state governance with tax benefits for the wealthy owners and no legal limitations on exploiting people or the planet.

[NCjack]

31. I think the scared Republicans and us DEMs can accomplish some mutually

beneficial business. Let's pass a Domestic Terrorism Act, a Police Reform Act, and a Gun Control Act.

[sarchasm]

33. GOP 21st century lynch mob

#21stcenturylynchmob

[Ferrets are Cool]

34. " trying to vote our conscience on this"

This is a nitpick, but he is NOT voting his conscious...he is voting FACTS.

[apnu]

35. The whole Democratic party knew this and voted with the Constitution.

But to the Republicans, you riled up this tiger. You have to tame it.

[Eyeball_Kid]

36. Meijer shows us how fascism works. It's about power and intimidation.

GOPers are AFRAID for their families and themselves because Trump's sycophants believe they are fulfilling Trump's commands if they murder those who oppose him. That's the whole script in a nutshell.


Fascism is what Trump is all about. He has no use for the Constitution. He is only consumed with power. And he knows that his worshippers will kill for him.

[UpInArms]

37. This 👆🏼

[Jay25]

43. It was all good when they weren't the victims.

[honest.abe]

38. This is very disturbing and GOP has no one else to blame except themselves.

They have been spreading disinformation for decades fanning the flames of fear of big government conspiracies and now they and we are all paying the price. They need to get this under control or this country is doomed.

[HUAJIAO]

39. He needn't be afraid of 'political violence,; but right wing terrorist violence.

Stop with the bothsiderism....

[LaMouffette]

40. I would be all for using taxpayer money to provide security to all Congress members,

including posting National Guard members at their homes with teargas to disperse obnoxious and/or violent crowds at their homes.

[turbinetree]

41. Earth to Peter Meijer................are you listening and seeing what your "party" is doing.......

[ProfessorGAC]

42. Then They Should Return To Private Life

Public service too scary? Resign. Problem solved.

[central scrutinizer]

44. Did he campaign as a Trumpist?

If so, he’s just reaping the whirlwind. The MAGAts understandably see him as two-faced.

[jalan48]

45. Sounds like a serious problem.

[cp]

46. All you Republican own this death cult

Time to get out and work FOR our country and people.