At an event on Tuesday at the University of Chicago, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin from Michigan expressed her intention to use prosecution as a means to deter individuals who support President Donald Trump, aiming to discourage young Republicans from collaborating with his administration.
During the event, organized by the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, Vox reporter Astead Herndon posed a question to Slotkin about the possibility of impeaching Trump regarding the events of January 6, especially if the upcoming midterms yield favorable results for Democrats.
Slotkin, who has a background as a CIA analyst, responded by suggesting that Herndon’s focus was too narrow. She stressed the importance of looking at “signature cases” and emphasizing the roles of those who enable Trump, not just Trump himself.
She conveyed her hope to influence young graduates to reconsider any opportunities to join the administration in light of potential legal repercussions. She stated, “I want [young people coming out of school] to be like, ‘Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, so let me avoid participating in that.’” This, she hopes, sends a clear deterrence message.
When the discussion shifted to immigration, Herndon highlighted that, while impeachment is challenging to pursue, Slotkin could rebrand Trump and his administration into a political, social, and legal “pariah” whom others would avoid.
Legal expert and George Washington University Law professor Jonathan Turley remarked that Slotkin’s openly declared intention to deter youth from supporting the administration was essentially stating the “quiet part out loud.”
Michael Bicksel, a senior at the University of Chicago and senior editor for the conservative student-run paper, The Chicago Thinker, mentioned that Slotkin conveyed to him and other conservative students that they should “live in fear of political persecution if we dare serve our country in the Trump administration.”
In response, Bicksel replied, “Sadly for her, we will never be intimidated by her Bolshevik-style tactics.”
Slotkin’s statements align with sentiments from other Democrats indicating a willingness to impose consequences on political adversaries if they regain power. Representative Jamie Raskin from Maryland has warned about facing repercussions for those who have contributed to “authoritarianism” in America, stating, “If and when we come back to power, and we will, we are not going to look kindly on people who facilitated… authoritarianism in our country.”
Susan Rice, formerly the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under Barack Obama, echoed similar views, claiming that corporations, law firms, universities, and media entities that supported Trump would not fare well if Democrats returned to power. “If these corporations think that the Democrats, when they come back in power, are going to play by the old rules… they’ve got another thing coming,” she warned, adding that there would be an “accountability agenda.”
Rice concluded with a stark reminder, stating, “They better preserve their documents. They better be ready for subpoenas. This is not going to be an instance of forgive and forget.”
