Washington – GOP White House candidate Donald Trump provoked another uproar Tuesday by saying “Second Amendment people” can stop Hillary Clinton from appointing judges to the Supreme Court – a statement Clinton supporters like Sen. Chris Murphy called an assassination threat.
“Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the 2nd Amendment,” Trump said at a rally in North Carolina. “By the way, and if she gets to pick—if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although the 2nd Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what. That will be a horrible day.”
Murphy tweeted immediately, “Don’t treat this as a political misstep. It’s an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.”
Murphy, who held a 15-hour filibuster on the Senate floor to press for gun control legislation, also tweeted, “This isn’t play. Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you.”
Trump spokesmen said their candidate was referring only to action at the polls.
Speaking on CNN, Trump spokesman Katrina Pierson said Trump simply meant “Hillary Clinton is a gun grabber” who will appoint anti-gun Supreme Court justices if she’s elected president.
“Mr. Trump was clearly pointing that out,” she said. She also said Trump was referring to voting by 2nd amendment supporters. “We also know that unification is key,” and that Second Amendment supporters need to come together to vote in November.
Clinton has repeatedly denied she want’s to seize Americans’ guns in violation of the Second Amendment.
But her support of stricter gun laws has drawn the wrath of the NRA which tweeted @realDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, there’s nothing we can do. But there is something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A! #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary.
Other Democrats followed in condemning Trump’s words as encouraging violence.
“It is a shocking day when someone seeking the presidency effectively calls for the assassination of his opponent if she wins,” said Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District. “The last few weeks have made it clear that Donald Trump poses a grave threat to this nation. He is unfit to lead, plain and simple.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said “a candidate who campaigns in veiled threats, poses a real threat in office.”
And Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California said in a tweet the Secret Service should investigate Trump’s comments, saying Trump “suggested someone kill” Clinton.