This election, Democrats have careened to the far left with calls to pack the Supreme Court, unleash a flurry of impeachments, and investigate Republicans. Few, however, have been as honest as Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D., Mich.) about the purpose of such threats. Slotkin recently said the quiet part out loud in an interview at my alma mater, the University of Chicago, admitting she wants to deter young people from even considering supporting the Administration… if they know what is good for them. Slotkin seemed to go full Col. Walter Kurtz in the middle of the interview.
The Chicago Thinker, an outstanding student newspaper at UChicago, posted an interview with Slotkin, in which she describes the strategy to deter young Republicans from getting involved in government, at least in supporting the Administration.
Like many of her Democratic colleagues, Slotkin is promising that, if Democrats are given back control of Congress, they will unleash a tsunami of investigations of Republicans supporting President Trump: In the clip of the exchange circulated on X, Slotkin states:
“I want to look at these signature cases and not just focus on the president, but on the people who enabled him. I want young people coming out of school to say, should I go work for the Trump administration? Like that sounds fun. I might get an opportunity. I want them to be like, Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, and so let me avoid participating in that. I want that deterrence message.”
“That deterrence message” is all too familiar to many Republicans. After January 6th, the Biden Administration used the riot to unleash a scorched-earth campaign against Trump supporters and groups.
In an interview with CBS News, Justice Department official Michael Sherwin explained that they wanted to send a message with the harsh treatment of Trump supporters.
He explained that “our office wanted to ensure that there was shock and awe … it worked because we saw through media posts that people were afraid to come back to D.C. because they’re, like, ‘If we go there, we’re gonna get charged.’ … We wanted to take out those individuals that essentially were thumbing their noses at the public for what they did.”
Of course, if Sherwin and his colleagues hoped to “Trump-proof” the nation, they failed in spectacular fashion.
However, that did not stop Jack Smith, who used his position as Special Counsel to seize the telephone records of Republican members of Congress while ordering carriers not to tell the members (some of whom were investigating Smith). We also learned recently that Smith collected information on over 600,000 Trump supporters and even tracked who bought MAGA hats.
Other Democrats have struck a similar chord, including former Obama aide Susan Rice, who promised in February that things would “not end well” for Trump supporters.
Slotkin has been open about her desire to start a series of virtual show trials featuring Trump supporters to send a message to others. In a September 30 speech to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Slotkin compared the planned investigation to cleaning up Europe with what the Poles called “the Iron Broom”: “The goal here is to have a list of signature cases that go after some of the most obvious and harmful abuses of taxpayer dollars.”
To her audience’s delight, she dangled possible 20-year sentences for figures ranging from the former CIA officer named Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to even U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
This appears to be a case of those abused becoming abusive figures. I criticized the Trump Administration for its investigation of Slotkin and five other Democrat lawmakers over a 90-second video urging military members to refuse illegal orders. While President Trump called the video “seditious” and “punishable by death,” I viewed the video as clearly protected speech. In my book, The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage, I argue for the elimination of sedition as a crime.
Perhaps President Trump would have been better off adopting Slokin’s rationale and simply say, “I want them to be like, Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, and so let me avoid participating in that. I want that deterrence message.”
Slotkin has now surrendered any high ground that she had after the grand jury declined to return an indictment in February. The problem, it seems, is that simply the wrong people or party were targeted in such investigations.
The interview is evidence of the devolution of our politics where leaders are now fueling an anger addiction and promising unblinking rage in government. With many of her colleagues, Slotkin has gone full Kurtz.
In the film Apocalypse Now, Colonel Walter Kurtz (played by Marlon Brando) explained the secret to his success in suppressing insurgents. The key was to act “without passion, without judgment, because it is judgment that defeats us.” In that way, he explained, he made “a friend of horror.”
As Kurtz said, “Horror [now] has a face” and it is seen in the rogues’ gallery of our politics of rage.
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the New York Times best-selling author of “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
I can’t believe we’ve reached a level of obtuseness where some people are prepared to give the left power in the name of something like gas prices (having apparently completely forgotten 2020-24). This is madness. Sheer madness.
The dems are no longer redeemable; they will absolutely do everything they claim. Thankfully for many of us, rather than making us feel threatened, it ensures we will never vote for them again. All bullies are cowards, and the dems are tremendous bullies.
Typo in posting info. Wrong av
James,
Well, this is the same group of people who have come out and said they want to pass laws to ensure they never lose an election again. But they would have to pack the SC to make sure their un-Constitutional laws do not get over turned.
Now, they want a “deterrence” to stifle anyone from joining any party but theirs.
They are telling us how they only want one party rule, theirs.
Kamala Harris just called for it again, https://nypost.com/2026/10/14/media/kamala-harris-calls-for-packing-supreme-court-changing-electoral-college-if-dems-take-back-congress/
You’re just repeating some news headlines, and incredibly you use the NY Post as a credible source? Talk about stupid.
Did she or did she not say,
“The work that we can do about winning back the House and the Senate is going to be on a number of things. For example, I believe that we need to expand the Supreme Court. We need more justices on the Supreme Court so that we can have a court that actually reinforces the spirit and principles behind the Constitution of the United States,” Harris told podcast host Keke Palmer on her “Baby, This is Keke Palmer” podcast.
“I believe that we should be pushing for what is possible around changing the Electoral College. Right?
“It’s about, the popular vote has to matter, right? You know, all the things that make people feel, like, overwhelmed, and does their vote matter? We have, you know, listen, if the folks there want it, we should be pushing for statehood for Puerto Rico and D.C., right? These are some of the things that are structural that we need to do, but we need to reestablish affordable child care,” Harris added.
What she calls ” . . . reinforces the spirit and principles behind the Constitution of the United States,” the rest of us call one party rule. Theirs. They have said it, out loud.
And now we have Slotkin calling for punishing anyone who would dare join an opposition party to the Democrats.
The comment is just quotes from an unknown source. BTW, learn to punctuate, source and be coherent. How hard can that be huh? That missing HS diploma sure shows through.
Oh, but I provided the source. Once again, you are putting you public education, higher education reading comprehension skills on display for all to see.
How marvelous!
@Upstate
Yup. Deterrence as in threats. The people this appeals to in the voting block cannot possibly well. There is literally no such thing as a ‘classical liberal’ within the party proper anymore. None. Zero.
This is precisely what the Nazis did. 110%. In the 30s they did not have the benefit of history as we do now – we do not need to repeat this with another generation. Certainly not out of stupidity and laziness.
While Col. Kurtz had an underlying base understanding of morality, I doubt if Slotkin, or any other dem/prog/lefty possesses such a guide post. Kurtz was not, in the end, a nihilistic socialist/communist, the same cannot be said about the democrats. Kurtz was motivated by a misguided concept of tactic; fanatics such as Slotkin are , primarily, motivated by two twin concepts of revenge and the power to inflict such revenge. No, I do not think that Slotkin went full on Kurtz, she has a more close kinship with a Hitler or Marqi de Sade in that their goal was based, not on a longstanding consideration of a common morality, but on singular goals of power and revenge, with a dash of sadistic pleasure tossed in.
close kinship with a Hitler… um, he never called for the extermination of the Jews, you know that right? That you would use a fictional movie character as an example, again proves how delusional you are.
Funny thing on this blog, every female commenter calls for the murder and extermination of democrats.
whimsicalmama never called for any such thing.
Never? Got proof ,then show it. Knowing how idiotic you are (not even a HS diploma and kicked out of Jr. college), suggest you read her previous rantings. If you’re called an idiot it’s not intended as an insult, its just stating a fact. You agree then?
If you have evidence of Whimsicalmama “previous rantings,” do post them.
Poor annony. Has to make up more lies about me. As we all know, in order to enlist in the Marines, one has to have a high school diploma. Oh, and I have a DD-214 under “Honorable” conditions. When annony is losing, which is often, he has to resort to lies. It is all he has.
Evidence? It would only be convincing if you sought that information. Who said anything about USMC? Its another lie you spew here.
BTW, you stated 3 times that you have no HS diploma. Remember? So what happened to Jr. College, you just started, then kicked out huh?
Ah, I ask you to provide for evidence of Whimsicalmama saying such things you claim she said and then when you cannot, you try to put the onus on me. Intelligent people would call that a mass fail on your part.
And I pointed out the fact I enlisted in the Marines to prove you wrong aka lie, that I do not have a high school diploma. That would be another fail on your part.
I have never said I did not have a high school diploma. Where did I say that? Oh! That would be just you, making up lies. Again.
You made the allegation, you need to provide the proof, otherwise you’re just another lying Dem/lib/socialist.
pointing out the nature of a dangerous species is not calling for their annihilation through murder; it is a call for the elimination of their ideology through education and ostracization. Don’t kill them, just make them appear so depraved, ignorant and dangerous that they are totally isolate from society in general in their ideology – make them pariahs and let people do the work of keeping them at the extreme fringe to languish there in their hatred and bile.
@whimsicalmama
Agreed. and I don’t think your average blue voter is very capable of peering outside of their own bubble or at this point, thinking critically anymore. ‘The educated party of compassion’ my behind.
How have we Americans allowed ourselves to be duped by these people in believing they would represent us with honor and protect our rights and the republic? Instead they openly plan to deny us our freedoms, oppress and incarcerate anyone who opposes their leadership. This is no longer the home of the free but I truly hope it’s still the home of the brave.
“these people”? “They”? Got any names for those people? Are you just ranting while drunk or truly in a state confusion?
read the article bozo.
“Those people”? Just two names, one a fictional character and a US Senator. You mean them Butthead? Oh yeah, the nation is at an end, kill the democrats.
@Anonymous
Soros, Hillary, Nancy, Obama, Tlaib, AOC, Talorico, Spanberger, Lujan, Schumer, Omar, Schiff, Newsome, Hochul, Jeffries, etc. ad nauseam – shall I continue? Because I easily could. We haven’t even gotten to the apparatchiks, yet.
“I want that deterrence message.”
Hoaxes, lawfare, de-bank, de-media, cancel, and now extortion (compliance by the threat of using the government’s police powers).
What remains in the Left’s Playbook to Purge R’s from the culture? Re-education camps.
Oh, wait. They already have those — academia.
Sam,
Right.
But first, for their deterrence, they need some Stalinesque show trials to punish certain people (Republicans) for crimes for . . . something. And they will claim it in the name of saving Democracy!
Stalianesque show trials? How childish.
Isn’t it a federal crime to try to overthrow our form of government, to demand that it become marxist? That is what the democrats are doing!
Isn’t it a federal crime to attempt to overthrow our form of government? The democrats are clearly stating that they do NOT want our nation to be the constitutional republic it was founded to be! They are very clearly & loudly stating that they want our nation to be communist! ISN’T THAT A FEDERAL CRIME???
They want to be communist? Who is “they”? The word “they’ is being tossed around here, but no one here has any names to point fingers at. Well, just a female (no surprise there eh) shrieking about tribunals.
They = Democrat politicians, left-wing judges, partisan media, George Soros and his kind, DSA clowns.
None of them were named in Turley’s article. You just used one name. Seems you’re hard pressed to find culprits.
If you read the article just the name Slotkin would have come to mind when you wrote you stupid comment. Assuming you had one.
Says the person whose statement is posted as “Anonymous”
Says the person whose statement is posted as “Anonymous” Simply precious. How f|ing stupid can one be huh?
“The goal here is to have a list of signature cases that go after some of the most obvious and harmful abuses of taxpayer dollars.”
But we already do have some signature cases,
Federal prosecutors charge 3 with stealing $12M in homelessness aid in Southern California
https://apnews.com/article/fraud-trump-homelessness-california-8848e96f919fa18e6958c5f2d2180bde
Gavin Newsom’s Empire of Fraud
https://www.city-journal.org/article/gavin-newsom-california-fraud
Astonishing new details emerge about LA homeless nonprofit CEO living life of luxury in Hawaii on taxpayers’ dime
https://nypost.com/2026/10/13/us-news/la-homeless-nonprofit-paid-for-ceos-swanky-apartment-new-bmw/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Look at the bright side.
At least he got a nice home and car out of his fraud. After a $15-billion train fraud, Californians still don’t have a single mile of track.
Fraud huh? Can’t be a fraud if a court hasn’t determine it as such. As for single mile… better do some serious reading to figure what went on. Comic books are not the appropriate source.
What does that have to do with Slotkin?
Let us save time and just cut to the chase right out of the gate: Democrats are evil and should be banished from the public square. Full stop.
The sad part is that your email is probably the only place I will see this story. If Ted Cruz had said something like this, we can just imagine the outrage in the media.
Nobody in America is more Fascist than the left. Really? You are eithe stupid or a liar. I’m betting just a plain ole stupid liar.
Nothing new to see.. nazis have always lied, cheated, stolen, raped, robbed and killed.
It’s who they are, no matter what they call themselves.
Whatever happen3ed to the 1st A Judy the Nazi?
You realize this is the attitude all the way down. This will not end well. See Spain, 1934-41.
Spain huh? And what exactly are the similarities?
Come On Now – this is not new Socialist / Communist / Neocon behavior for Politically Ambitious CIA Alumni! Look at Spanberger, Pompeo, Hurd, Barr, HW Bush, and the Honorable Ms. Slotkin. These people are used to being Puppet Masters over their low IQ subjects, targets, and “friends” because the nature of the lifestyle is to USE PEOPLE! You better agree with their ‘official’ positions if vote for them because they will try to bring it! But it’s the unofficial positions that should worry you because these SAY ANYTHING TO WIN politicians will shift after they get power.
Will the Ds insist on every seller to report the names of those who purchased red MAGA hats, Trump tshirts, whatever. Someone gave me a 4th of July tshirt with the National Anthem and I wonder if that purchase can be traced – to her and to me. Will there be cameras along the roads to identify vehicles with stickers about loving the USA? Just wondering how far such Ds can go!
A Jew promising to unleash a quasi pogrom-like persecution against people she does not like is so perfect for 2026.
Her being a jew is less significant than her being a nazi democrat.
By the hate in your comment, you too fit that bill.
The point of noting she is a Jew is meant to convey irony.
I, personally, have only seen/heard the word “pogrom” used to describe Jewish persecutions.
Slotkin and many others seem to have been stripped of their clothes, their Americanism, and their sense of justice, and went 100% for revenge and punishment to achieve total power. Surprisingly, there is no great orator or leader of this mob. Relatively low-level bureaucrats like Smith generated its meanderings, abusing power like few others before him.
Not in defense, I would say Kurtz knew what he was doing; this latest proposed kill is driven largely by a newly discovered instinct within the newly created Democratic Party.
This interview needs to go mainstream as much as possible. Independent voters don’t mind gridlock but hey dislike chaos. So like Frank sang, start spreading the news
And what outlet is going to spew that? Fox?
Awesome Pawsome article.
Nothing new here.
As the stupid coming out of your withered brain.
Anonymous,
Thank you for drawing attention to my Comment.
And the fact that you are an idiot? You’re welcome.
Stephen B. Benisch, Esq.,
Whenever the good professor points out Democrats saying highly un-Democracy things, the annony has to come out and try to deflect from Democrats, like Slotkin.
Or, like Kamala Harris did recently to pack the SC, change the Electoral College, add states to ensure they never lose an election again.
One does not need a college degree to read and see all the things Democrats have said what they want to ensure one party rule. Theirs.
Nobody in America is more Fascist than the left. They don’t even try to hide how far towards Fascism they are, and are promising even more. If you want to know how Germany arrived where it was in 1933, just look at today’s Democrat party.
Wait, you’re saying the Dems gave the Nazis the playbook for Germany 1933?
Nobody in America is more Fascist than the left. Really? You are eithe stupid or a liar. I’m betting just a plain ole stupid liar.