What To Know
- Scott Jennings blamed Democrats for anti-ICE rhetoric and recent violence against the organization.
- His take was refuted by fellow CNN panelist Keith Boykin, who pointed out that Donald Trump has incited violence himself in the past.
A take from Scott Jennings prompted fellow CNN NewsNight panelist Keith Boykin to fire back on July 21. The men got into a heated argument over a recent incident involving a man allegedly throwing an incendiary device at a New York City building that houses ICE offices.
Jennings was asked if he agrees with White House Border Czar Tom Homan’s take that “this is something [that happened] because of Democrats” pushing violence against immigration officers.
“Of course I agree with Homan,” Jennings confirmed. “It’s not a single guy. This is another in a long string of attacks on ICE personnel, ICE facilities. There’s been a massive spike in violence against ICE agents, really against all law enforcement, especially federal law enforcement out there. I think Mr. Homan is correct.”
He continued, “I think you got members of congress, the Mayor of New York City, governors, all sorts of people, who are using language that would lead someone to do these kinds of things. It’s despicable.”
Jennings called these protestors “political vigilantes,” adding, “They’ve been programmed by the left to go out and take matters into their own hands and it ought to be stopped right now. I noticed Mamdani today put out a statement today saying ‘this is bad, we’re going to cooperate.’ This is the same guy who has said some of the worst things about ICE, who said he wants to defund the police, and makes a lot of anti-law enforcement rhetoric a statement of his political movement.”
Fredericka Whitfield wondered, “Is it possible that it is the actions of ICE that have people talking like this? Not just that they’re getting messaging from the Democrats, but seeing what’s happening in their community?”
Jennings stood by his stance. “If you believe that a government agency is doing something you don’t like, and your choices are a) cast a vote, b) use your words, or c) go set off an incendiary device at a federal building in New York City, and you pick C, there’s no justification for this, there’s no rationalization for it. And it’s patently ridiculous if that’s what anyone is going to argue.”
Boykin then jumped in to use Jennings’ own scenario against him, noting that Donald Trump himself resorted to violence in the past. “[He] implicitly encouraged people to resort to violence. That was the January 6 insurrection,” Boykin pointed out. “He didn’t tell people ‘your voice is enough, the 80-something lawsuits we filed were enough.’ He didn’t tell people ‘we’re going to settle this the peaceful way.’ He actually encouraged people to walk to the capital, not knowing what might happen, and knowing these people are armed and violent.”
He ranted that Trump is “responsible for some of the most politically-violent rhetoric in our country,” and added, “I don’t know any president on the Democratic side, in my lifetime, who’s ever encouraged political violence. In fact, I don’t know any Republican president in my lifetime who’s encouraged political violence, until Donald Trump.”