Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley urged top Democrats to condemn political violence across the nation, claiming that those who do not are contributing to it through their “language.”
Whatley’s comments come after the headquarters of the New Mexico Republican Party was the target of vandalism and arson on Sunday, which included the phrase “ICE=KKK” spray-painted outside the building. Whatley argued that political violence is “absolutely” on the rise across the country, including the attacks on Tesla dealerships, and claimed it is a “direct result” of “incitement” by Democratic lawmakers.
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“We are very concerned. Thank God nobody was there that night; thank God nobody was actually hurt in the attack on that,” Whatley stated on Fox Business’s Varney and Co. “We haven’t had people that have been hurt at the Tesla dealerships with the violence that’s going on there. This is not acceptable, and really, truly, the American people are going to recoil at this type of political violence.”
The GOP chairman was then asked to clarify if any top Democrats had reached out to him in the wake of the political vandalism, to which he said, “Not a one,” adding that he would expect them to speak to him about this. He proceeded to argue that any Democrat not speaking out against the recent political violence “has to own the fact that their rhetoric” is responsible for the actions of others.
THE BONFIRE OF THE TESLAS: POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND THE LEFT
Political violence is unacceptable, including the arson attack on New Mexico’s GOP headquarters. The perpetrators must be held accountable. Every American should be able to freely and safely participate in our democracy.
— Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (@RepTeresaLF) March 30, 2025
At my town hall yesterday, I spoke about love in…
A day before the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters was vandalized, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) described how her town hall attendees are “part of the ‘agitate’ part” in the party’s “legislate, litigate, agitate” approach. She has since walked back these comments, calling the attack on the GOP headquarters “unacceptable” and claiming she “spoke about love in action” during her town hall.
Has ANY elected Democrat denounced this deliberate domestic terrorism?
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 24, 2025
Somebody is gonna get killed.
And Dems are cheering it on (and likely funding it). https://t.co/Vpvg5VZGSJ
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) questioned last week if any Democratic lawmakers have condemned the vandalism across the country, warning that “somebody is going to get killed.” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) issued his own statement denouncing the attacks on Tesla, stating that “zero tolerance” exists for these acts.