President Donald Trump is using highly-charged language to describe the House Democrats’ organized and thorough investigation – a formal impeachment inquiry – into his likely illegal actions, “a lynching.”
If that language weren’t disturbing enough, given America’s horrific history against Black people, the president goes on to falsely claim he is being deprived of his civil rights.
“So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights,” Trump tweeted early Tuesday morning. “All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here – a lynching. But we will WIN!”
The Trump campaign in recent months has made it a priority to try to court Black voters, believing they can even raise support from that community from 4% to a few points higher, it could help ensure the president’s re-election. Trump will even be participating in a forum on the future of criminal justice reform at a South Carolina historically Black college this weekend – with nine Democratic presidential candidates.
Tuesday morning’s tweet will not help in that effort.
CNN fact checker Daniel Dale, who follows Trump’s every word, weighs in:
Many were quick to call out Trump’s obvious racist victimization and co-opting of actual hate crimes against African Americans.
A sampling: