President Donald Trump appeared to step into another racial pitfall Tuesday, by comparing the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry into his call with the Ukraine president to a "lynching."
In U.S. history, lynchings were primarily used by whites against black men, mostly in the South, starting in the late 19th century.
Trump tweeted: "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.
"All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here - a lynching. But we will WIN!"
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. All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here - a lynching. But we will WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2019Members of both parties generally condemned the president's tweet, with the notable exception of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spoke to reporters on Capitol Hill, saying that the investigation into Trump is in fact a "lynching in every sense."
"I think it's pretty well accurate—this is a shame, this is a joke," Graham said Monday morning. "This is a lynching in every sense. This is un-American. I've never seen a situation in my lifetime as a lawyer where somebody's accused of a major misconduct who cannot confront the accusers, call witnesses on their behalf, and have the discussion in the light of day so the public can judge."
Michael Steele, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, and former Lt. Gov. of Maryland, who currently hosts "The Michael Steele Podcast" told KNX In-Depth hosts of all people Sen. Graham should understand the violent and racist history of the state he represents, South Carolina.
@realDonaldTrump and @LindseyGrahamSC this is a lynching. Trump this is not happening to you and it's pathetic that you act like you're such a victim; but it did happen to 147 black people in your state Lindsey. "A lynching in every sense"? You should know better. pic.twitter.com/RQNQaOaLsd
— Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) October 22, 2019The president's tweet comes just two days before the body of Rep. Elijah Cummings, the son of sharecroppers and the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tempore, will lie in state in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, joining a distinguished list of people to receive the honor.
