A U.S. senator from Tennessee is responding after General Michael Hayden, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) under President George W. Bush, sent a viral tweet stating that Republicans are “dangerous” extremists.
“More proof of how partisan the deep state and media have become,” Senator Marsha Blackburn told The Tennessee Star Thursday.
The saga began when a Financial Times reporter called Edward Luce compared Republicans to terrorists.
“I’ve covered extremism and violent ideologies around the world over my career. Have never come across a political force more nihilistic, dangerous & contemptible than today’s Republicans. Nothing close,” Luce said.
I’ve covered extremism and violent ideologies around the world over my career. Have never come across a political force more nihilistic, dangerous & contemptible than today’s Republicans. Nothing close.
— Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce) August 12, 2022
“I agree. And I was the CIA Director,” Hayden responded.
I agree. And I was the CIA Director https://t.co/LRAHDDyy4n
— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) August 17, 2022
Blackburn has spent a significant amount of time in the weeks following the raid of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home criticizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for what she says is targeting of conservatives.
A U.S. senator from Tennessee has been hammering the Department of Justice (DOJ) for nearly a week after news broke that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided Mar-a-Lago.
“There are plenty of great people who work for the FBI and have worked for the FBI, but there is a cabal within the FBI that has politicized the agency, and they did this from the time Donald Trump came down the escalator and announced his campaign – they have been after him,” Blackburn said last week on Fox News. “So in some way, shape, or form they cooked up this raid – they had [FBI Director] Christopher Wray agree with the raid – and of course [U.S. Attorney General] Merrick Garland signed off on this.”
The prevailing sentiment among conservatives is that the DOJ has been weaponized against them.
Jeff Giesea, a conservative commentator, noted as much in response to Hayden’s tweet.
“Respectfully, what are you trying to accomplish with this message? I understand your concerns, but this type of message reinforces the prevailing GOP narrative of a partisan, weaponized intelligence apparatus,” he said.
“Further, your message overstates the case. Do you truly believe the GOP is more nihilistic & contemptible than Al Qaeda? Seriously? Make that case. You also paint with too broad a brush,” Giesea continued. “Not all Republicans are extremists, and Uncle MAGA is not the enemy. Tone it down.”
Notably, Hayden has aphasia, a condition that makes it difficult for him to communicate.
But he reportedly “can think as well as he ever did,” just simply “can’t say what he thinks.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Marsha Blackburn” by Marsha Blackburn.
