Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) stumbled over her words during a Sunday interview on MSNBC, suggesting that former President Donald Trump should be “shot” for his alleged mishandling of classified documents, but swiftly corrected herself to emphasize that he should be “stopped.”
“Having Trump not only have had the codes but now having the classified information for Americans and being able to put that out and share it in his resort with anyone and everyone who comes through should be terrifying to all Americans. And he needs to be shot—stopped,” Plaskett conveyed this message to anchor Jonathan Capehart.
Plaskett, a 57-year-old non-voting member of the House of Representatives, dismissed suggestions that a double standard in the justice system resulted in Trump’s indictment. Republicans have highlighted the fact that Hillary Clinton was not prosecuted for keeping classified documents on a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state, to which Plaskett responded with laughter.
“The two-tiered system is not to punish them more,” she explained, accusing GOP lawmakers of spreading “propaganda” to foster distrust in federal law enforcement among Americans. Plaskett asserted that their aim is to create a scenario where they can evade accountability more easily than ordinary citizens, attempting to convince Americans that they are exempt from the law.
Last week, Trump was formally charged in a federal court in Miami with 37 counts related to his alleged possession of classified materials and subsequent dishonesty when questioned by federal officials.
As per the unsealed 49-page indictment on June 9, the former president stored the documents in various locations within his Mar-a-Lago resort, including a ballroom, bathroom, bedroom, and basement storage room. He consistently refused to hand them over to the FBI or the Department of Justice for over a year.
In recent months, Plaskett’s national recognition has grown as she assumed the role of the ranking member on the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of Federal Government. During a “Twitter Files” hearing, she even went so far as to threaten independent journalist Matt Taibbi with a potential five-year prison term for allegedly providing false information to Congress.
Furthermore, Plaskett served as one of the impeachment managers during Trump’s second impeachment proceedings. The Democratic-led House charged the 45th president with incitement of insurrection following the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. However, Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Senate.
