Both Republicans and Democrats objected Sunday night to Donald Trump’s threat to jail Hillary Clinton if he becomes President, painting it as dangerously authoritarian.
“If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation because there has never been so many lies, so much deception,” Trump said to Clinton during Sunday’s presidential debate, referring to her use of a private email server as Secretary of State. “We’re going to have a special prosecutor.”
“It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country,” Clinton said in response.
“Because you’d be in jail,” Trump quipped.
Clinton has faced scrutiny for her use of a private email server. After a yearlong investigation, FBI Director James Comey said Clinton and her staff were “extremely careless” in their handling of classified information, but he said there was “no intentional misconduct” and recommended that no criminal charges be brought. Trump has repeatedly attacked Clinton over the findings of the FBI probe.
While some Trump supporters dismissed the Republican nominee’s remarks as a joke, members of both parties said such behavior would blatantly contradict the ideals of a democratic government. The jailing of political opponents has long been decried as antidemocratic throughout the world.
“Winning candidates don’t threaten to put opponents in jail. Presidents don’t threaten prosecution of individuals. Trump is wrong on this,” said Ari Fleischer, former White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush.
“Be afraid of any candidate who says he will order DOJ/FBI to act on his command,” said Eric Holder, who served as Attorney General under President Obama. “This is dangerous/so is @realDonaldTrump-he’s not qualified.”
In a post-debate interview on CNN, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Trump simply wants to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton.
Here’s what others had to say:
Only time I've ever heard a candidate threatening to jail his opponent was in the Congo. He lost & was later convicted of war crimes.
— Stuart Stevens (@stuartpstevens) October 10, 2016
Dictators jail their political opponents. If we ever let that happen here the experiment's over.
— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) October 10, 2016
Agree w/ Van Jones: Never has a candidate threatened to jail his opponent. This happens in dictatorships. Scariest man ever to run for WH.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) October 10, 2016
I want you to imagine what Trump's media would say if Hillary promised to investigate and jail Trump.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 10, 2016
Trump just said if he was in charge of the law, Clinton would be in jail. Jailing your opponent is something dictators do.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 10, 2016
Demagogues don't imprison just their political rivals but their political rivals' associates as well. Next, they shut down/imprison critics.
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) October 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/johnwoodRTR/status/785317154488881154
