Whitmer: Trump’s Rhetoric Caused Hate Crimes to Increase ‘Exponentially over the Last Four Years’

Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) said Tuesday on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” that President Donald Trump’s rhetoric has caused hate crimes to increase “exponentially over the last four years.”

Cooper said, “When you heard the crowd at President Trump’s rally over the weekend, chanting “lock her up” referring to you— I don’t know if it surprised you given all you have been through and come to expect— but the fact that that’s where this has sunk, and the president still continues to attack you in the wake of this is stunning.”

Whitmer said, “It is. It is stunning. Anderson, I think we all come to know that people like Dr. Fauci now have to have security because the rhetoric in this country has gotten so out of control. I have been confronting death threats since April when sights were first set on me. This is the culmination of this rhetoric and inciting by demonizing leaders, public servants who are just trying to save lives. It is a dangerous moment. I am remaining hopeful that people on both sides of the aisle can stand up and take it on and insist and demand that America is not a place where we take, you know, give comfort to people who are domestic terrorists.”

She continued, “In the last four years, we have seen an increase in hate speech. We have seen an increase in hate crimes. We have seen an increase in antisemitism. The intolerance has been bubbling, and it has been increasing exponentially over the last four years. I think this is a moment where we really need as a country a leader who can bring us together, can speak to our highest aspirations, and will not stand for this kind of criminal activity that we saw play out and we are continuing to see it play out as more information about this plot kidnapping, and they’re going to put me on trial and apparently execute me was their plan.”

She added, “We have seen hateful language and acts taken against governor across this country — Democrats and some Republicans as well who have called and shared their stories with me. We are just trying to do our jobs in saving people’s lives. This is a moment where we need to come together as a nation. I do think Joe Biden can do that. That’s why come November 3rd, we are ready to start a new chapter.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN