Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Greg Rothman told Newsmax on Thursday that he's asked the Justice Department to investigate Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, accusing him of inciting violence against Republicans.
During a recent interview, Krasner accused President Donald Trump of being soft on white-collar crime, saying, "Trump likes crime. Fascists like crime. Right-wing Republican MAGA people like crime," adding, "These are fundamentally fascists, and it will not do us any good to try to appease them. They are bullies who need to be punched in the face as hard as possible, and that is the only way that all the people around us who are so frightened will understand they can stand up, too."
Rothman told Newsmax's "Wake Up America" that "We'd like the Department of Justice to investigate" Krasner's comments, saying, "We've referred it to them and we believe he's in violation of federal law and he's trying to incite violence and we cannot stand for that."
The Pennsylvania Republican added that he expects to hear back from the Justice Department soon and also said, "I'm a marine, so I've been punched in the face plenty and if the district attorney wants to start with me, he can. But we also have a responsibility to protect the people of Pennsylvania."
Rothman went on to decry the recent arson attack against Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, as a "despicable, horrific act that ... was done by a deranged individual."
He said Democrats need to "look at themselves too and the Democratic Party in particular needs to reject this violence instead of embracing it."
Rothman said, "My heart goes out to Gov. Shapiro and his family, and we thank God that he's fine and they're fine, but he needs to, as a member of the Democratic Party, call out this violence."
He noted, "Just last month, the Republican state headquarters in New Mexico was firebombed. And … we know what's going on in the Tesla dealerships. And this has to stop. But let's be clear. It is coming from the left. And it may be the hardcore left, but we have to reject it. In America, we're better than this. This is how democracies fall. When you allow violence to be part of your political differences."
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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