WASHINGTON – Another week, and another round of violence at Republican political rallies. On Sunday, Trump said, “I don't accept responsibility” for the violence at his events, including when a Trump supporter sucker punched a protestor and threatened next time “to kill” the protestor. Trump even offered to cover the legal bills his supporters may incur as a result of the incident. 

This incident and the cancellation of a Trump event in Chicago, which led to numerous physical confrontations, both come after months of Trump’s outrageous rhetoric. He has urged audiences to “knock the crap out of” protestors, said he’d like to punch a protestor “in the face,” and that he loved the “old days” when protestors “used to be carried out on a stretcher.” Trump also threatened to have his supporters disrupt the events of Democratic candidates. Several members of the press have been physically roughed up, assaulted or threatened with arrest, just for doing their jobs and exercising their First Amendment rights as journalists. 

At the same time, Trump and the rest of the Republican field have blamed others for this violence. Marco Rubio ridiculously pointed the finger at President Obama. Ted Cruz did the same. 

“Reince Priebus and the RNC are setting an unacceptable standard by refusing to call out Donald Trump for inciting violence at his campaign rallies,” said DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “People are getting hurt, journalists are being attacked for doing their jobs, but the Republicans are squirming to avoid the truth when asked about who is responsible, some even going so far as to blame our Democratic candidates, the press, and incredibly, even the President. 

“This desperate attempt to spin the violence as anything other than the direct result of Trump’s angry, divisive rhetoric is worse than irresponsible; it’s a tacit approval of his un-American, dangerous tactics, and an acknowledgment by the establishment that he has essentially secured the Republican nomination. Voters deserve leaders who work to unite Americans, not menacing demagogues who incite violence. We must elect a Democrat as our next president.”