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Comments from a caller on a C-SPAN program created controversy as listeners debated whether he threatened federal agents and Trump supporters.
The Democrat identified as “John” caused an alarm when he said on a call in to the “Washington Journal” program Sunday that “there’s gonna be a lot of bloodshed” when federal troops come in to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Source: C-SPAN)
“This morning a Trump supporter was killed. Was shot and killed in a drive-by in Milwaukee. I don’t know if you got that news,” the caller said, referring to the murder of black Republican Bernell Trammell in Milwaukee last week.
“But the people in Milwaukee are waiting for those troops to come in because they got weapons and there’s gonna be a lot of bloodshed when they come. So that’s all I got to say,” he added.
President Donald Trump has ordered federal law enforcement officers to the city as part of Operation Legend, though Democrat Mayor Tom Barrett quickly decried the mover, saying federal agents “are not welcome here.” Gov. Tony Evers agreed and criticized the “excessive and unwelcome federal law enforcement presence” in a letter to the president.
But the C-SPAN caller’s comments about impending bloodshed created its own controversy as host Jesse Holland moved past the eyebrow-raising remark during the call-in segment. But Republican political strategist Boris Epshteyn, who was on the program, was clearly disturbed by the caller’s words.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” the former special assistant to Trump asked. “Now you have people on your air threatening our lives, is that what it is, Jesse?”
“Let’s keep going to Chris, who’s calling from Oceanside…” Holland went on without responding to his guest.
“I don’t think we should…I mean, you just had a caller call in and say that they’re gonna, that shooting Trump supporters is right,” Epshteyn said.
“I mean, anybody’s who’s a Democrat or Independent should listen to what that gentleman just said and realize where the Democrats are in this country,” he added. “They’re threatening our lives. It is disgusting, it’s despicable and it’s criminal.”
Epshteyn added that the comments “sounded like a threat against the president and his campaign” and hoped the Secret Service would be investigating. He later tweeted a video of the segment, noting in the caption that it was “scary” and that the call from “John from Wisconsin,” referenced “weapons,” “bloodshed,” and “a murder of a @realDonaldTrump supporter.”
Twitter users slammed the caller and the C-SPAN host for not addressing the comments.
Oh. My. God.
— breezy (@breeeezy35) July 26, 2020
Exactly. “Next caller!” 😒
— 🇺🇸Maggie VandenBerghe🇺🇸 (@FogCityMidge) July 26, 2020
It’s crazy how the host doesn’t say that he doesn’t condone the behavior of that caller from Wisconsin who made that threat.
Really, how out of touch is this guy?— Teddy (@Teddy72173478) July 26, 2020
It’s crazy how the host doesn’t say that he doesn’t condone the behavior of that caller from Wisconsin who made that threat.
Really, how out of touch is this guy?— Teddy (@Teddy72173478) July 26, 2020
However, some Twitter users hit the brakes on the reactions, giving a different perspective of the call.
Boris, relisten to the call. I heard something completely different from what you did.
I heard a plea for HELP!!
— Jackie Walker (@ShowBizGAL1996) July 27, 2020
Agreed. I think they cut the guy off too soon.
— Logic’s Not Dead (@logicsnotdead) July 27, 2020
John was explaining to you that a Trump supporter in Milwaukee was murdered in a street shooting. Murderous Leftists are in Milwaukee, with guns, prepared to burn, kill Trump supporters, and federal forces. Project Veritas did a video on it months ago. https://t.co/Gy5sJXMlhg
— Steven Mix 😷💖🇺🇸 💎 (@stevenrmix) July 26, 2020
Maybe the caller was threatening Trump supporters. Strikes me as more obvious that he was threatening a campaign to murder Federal Agents for doing their job.
— Robert Craigen (@RCsEvilTwin) July 26, 2020
I don’t know, that’s not exactly how I understood that man based on this short clip. Sounded to me like he knows Trump Supporters are in danger. Troops are needed *even understanding* that bloodshed comes will come with it.
BECAUSE INNOCENTS are ALREADY DIEING
— Bot #19400368 (@BryanMa19400368) July 26, 2020
Milwaukee police last week declined the deployment of federal agents to help them quell violence in the city.
“The Milwaukee Police Department is aware of the deployment of federal agents to other cities for the purpose of providing support to those local law enforcement agencies as they address the civil unrest that occur in their communities,” the department said in a statement. “The Milwaukee Police Department has not requested federal agents and respectfully declines the deployment of federal agents in Milwaukee for that purpose.”
MPD responds to reported deployment of federal agents in Milwaukee pic.twitter.com/10Lpn5GFNs
— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) July 24, 2020
But outrage over the shooting death of Trammell, a 60-year-old street preacher who had just done an interview supporting Trump hours before he was gunned down, led many on social media to decry the threats and violence the C-SPAN caller seemed to be alluding to.
So in 24 hrs we have libs shooting ppl in cars, killing black Trump supporters, and threatening more bloodshed on air. Bc Trump wants to stop the violence in the inner city. But Trump is the problem… 🤷🏻♀️
— Iz_Mary (@Mary_Jai1) July 27, 2020
THEY are lashing out because THEY know what’s comming
— SHLEPROCK FORMALLY KNOWN AS MARK (@mark47014227) July 26, 2020
Why is that scary?
Let them come.
I DARE them to come.
I’m ready.— Chico (@Karlitoz1972) July 26, 2020
I think he has it in reverse. He has no clue what is about to come.
— BLM Man (@BlmSuperhero) July 27, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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