Texas Lawmaker Threatened With Lynching After Calling For President’s Impeachment
Texas congressman, Al Green, asserts he has been inundated with threats of lynchings by callers who were infuriated over him seeking impeachment of President Donald Trump, according to the Business Insider. U.S. Representative Al Green told a crowd on Saturday that they will not be intimidated or allow the threats to cause a deviation from what they believe is right.
Camille Scott, a spokeswoman for Green said he has received threatening messages from callers at his offices in Houston and Washington. Just before Saturday morning’s town hall meeting, Al Green played several recordings of threatening voicemails, according to the Houston Chronicle.
A group of about 100 people sat shocked as they listened to the violent voicemails from the congressman at the Fountain Life Center in southwest Houston. At the gathering, police officers patrolled the building and provided high security. Prior to the meeting with Al Green, any and all participants were checked by security officials holding wands upon entering the building.
Recently, Green delivered a speech on the House floor to become the first member of Congress to call for President Donald Trump to be impeached. The seven-term Democrat told the crowd of about 100 people that he would not be deterred.
“We are not going to be intimidated… We are not going to allow this to cause us to deviate from what we believe to be the right thing to do and that is to proceed with the impeachment of President Trump.”
The 69-year-old Democratic Houston congressman is reported by many to be soft spoken. However, on Wednesday, became the first member of Congress to take to the floor to ask for Trump’s impeachment.
“I rise today, Mr Speaker… to call for the impeachment of the president of the United States of America for obstruction of justice.”
One male caller used a racial insult and threatened Green with “hanging from a tree” if he pursued his protests against Donald Trump and called for his impeachment, according to the Business Insider.
Rep. Al Green: "I rise today… to call for the impeachment of the President of the United States of America" https://t.co/GdMTFvp9O4 pic.twitter.com/YFxWvX6VGc
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 17, 2017
Another man left a message saying Green would be the one impeached after “a short trial” and then he would be hanged, according to the recording.
Green’s move and subsequent backlash encouraged a massive outcry from many liberal activists — however, it was not immediately endorsed by many of Green’s colleagues. Many on Green’s team worried the rhetoric was too soon.
Green told the Guardian that Trump’s decision to fire James Comey last week as FBI director amid the bureau’s examination of possible collusion between the president’s campaign and Russia justified his decision.
“It’s not too soon… When the act is committed, from that point forward the impeachment can begin at any moment. So the president committed an impeachable act when he fired the FBI director who was investigating him. That’s pretty strong evidence.”
On Wednesday, Al Green took the House floor and said he firmly believed Trump committed obstruction of justice. He added that no one is above the law.
Trump has dismissed criticism of his firing of FBI Director James Comey amid the agency’s investigation of possible links between Russia and Trump campaign associates.
Rep. Al Green says he's been threatened with lynching by callers infuriated over call to impeach Pres. Trump https://t.co/2HPTaYsXwK pic.twitter.com/n0pBL9ji0q
— ABC News (@ABC) May 21, 2017
Green said he wanted his supporters and those close to him to be aware of the hateful calls he received.
“When a person talks about lynching you, we think that’s a pretty serious threat.”
Green is also a former president of the Houston branch of the NAACP, according to his congressional website.
During his speech, many attendees took posted photo and video footage on Twitter of Green playing the recorded threats he received after calling for impeachment.
[Featured Image by J. Scott Applewhite/AP Images]
