Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons said Monday that he was “absolutely” worried that President Trump will “unleash the Justice Department on the Democratic Party.”
“The question then becomes the president’s deputy chief of staff came out today, and called the Democratic Party an ‘extremist organization,’ after the president said that he was going to take action against extremist organizations,” Simmons told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on “The Source,” in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.
“So, the question arises in my mind, is the president of the United States going to outlaw the Democratic Party? Is that where we’re headed? Is the president of the United States going to unleash the Justice Department on the Democratic Party?” he added.
“Is that your concern?” Collins responded.
“It’s absolutely a concern. This president has shown that he’s willing to use the Department of Justice to go after his political enemies. He said that pretty much openly,” Simmons responded.
Trump has been ramping up attacks on the left following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The administration has suggested it will work to crack down on left-leaning groups and institutions.
“Hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence is NOT protected by the First Amendment. It’s a crime. For far too long, we’ve watched the radical left normalize threats, call for assassinations, and cheer on political violence. That era is over,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on the social platform X Tuesday.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calf.) criticized Bondi over the post, saying she “has REFUSED to prosecute MULTIPLE direct death threats against me and my family.”
“Did this Biden-Harris Administration staffer forget how Biden weaponized his DOJ and the full force of the government against President Trump?” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in an email to The Hill.
“If he’s concerned about the government targeting political opponents, he should look in the mirror, not baselessly point fingers at others.”
The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.
Updated at 7:32 p.m. EDT