“…This is just Donald Trump doing what he wanted to do in the first administration, which was essentially use the military for domestic law enforcement to make himself look tough.”
View the full interview HERE.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined NBC’s Meet the Press with Kristen Welker to discuss the rising tide of political violence and rhetoric in the country in light of the politically motivated shootings in Minnesota. He also reacted to President Donald Trump’s wasteful use of military resources and abuse of the military by deploying the National Guard and Marines to demonstrations in Los Angeles at the objection of state and local leaders.
Key Excerpts:
On condemning political violence and bringing about civil discourse:
[…] We have seen over the last eight or ten years, this proliferation of political violence against members of both parties. And I think one thing that has really contributed to it is the coarsening of the political dialogue, the way that people refer to their political opponents, the ad hominem nature of the attacks, the flirtation with violence. And some of the things, for example, that the President says they, I think, are an encouragement to these reprehensible acts. We all have to acknowledge on both sides of the aisle the need to bring about a more civil discourse, but the need to condemn political violence no matter who the target is. And I think one of the things that really hits home here about these latest attacks is those of us that choose to enter public service, sadly understand the risk that we are taking now, but those risks and that acceptance is on our own part. And now you see the murder and attempted murder of the spouses or family members of electeds. And that just brings it home, literally, in a very different way.
On the Trump administration’s disgraceful conduct towards Senator Padilla:
[…] It’s important for people to realize that he was escorted into that press conference. The door was open. He was escorted in by law enforcement. He identified himself. He tried to ask the Secretary a question, a Secretary who clearly doesn’t want to answer questions about the lawless acts of the Department of Homeland Security that we are seeing in Los Angeles. So, he had every right to do so. That’s part of his oversight responsibilities.
And to be treated that way and to be responded to by saying, “Oh, we didn’t know who you are,” when it was literally written on his shirt or his jacket when he’s proclaiming who he is. I don’t buy it. And for those of us that know Alex – and I would be hard pressed to find a more beloved Senator on either side of the aisle, respected by members on both sides of the aisle – for his intellect, for his demeanor. This is not some rabble-rouser and to see him mistreated that way and tackled to the ground and shackled that way, and in the midst of what we’re seeing more broadly in Los Angeles, is just atrocious. And I think all of us that work with him reacted with that kind of revulsion. But sadly, this is kind of the direction the administration is taking things with the mass deportations, with the calling out the military in violation of the law. We are just degenerating in terms of how laws are broken in this country.
On the administration eroding trust with the National Guard:
[…] It’s our constituents in California that are being the subject of lawless use of the military. In California, we cherish our National Guard. They’re the first there to help out during earthquakes and floods and fires. We have a very special bond of trust with the National Guard. And so to see it misused this way, to potentially erode that trust. We also venerate the Marines, but to call on the Marines for no other reason, I think, than to add fuel to the fire is a terrible abuse of the military.
On Trump’s misuse of the military:
[…] Let’s call the President’s statement what it is, and that’s just a flat out lie. The idea that Los Angeles would have burnt to the ground. It’s absurd. These demonstrations were taking place in a multi-block area in a city that is 500 square miles. Our police and our sheriff’s office and our highway patrol are more than capable of dealing with this. And if they won’t, and they weren’t, then the mayor and the governor would request the help of our guard. That was not done. It was not necessary.
And I think this is just Donald Trump doing what he wanted to do in the first administration, which was essentially use the military for domestic law enforcement to make himself look tough. In the first administration, there were at least a few people in the Cabinet, of some independence, who could say, “No, Mr. President, that’s a lawless idea. That’s a stupid idea.” But there’s no one in this current administration to tell the President, “That’s a stupid idea. It will make matters worse.” And there are nothing but sycophants – the Stephen Millers and the Kristi Noems and all the rest of them. And so we are seeing this terrible escalation, this increasing lawlessness. The District Court was right to find it lawless.
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