President Donald Trump invited the sheriff of a small Texas County to “destroy” the career of a state senator who sought to ban a controversial law enforcement practice by naming the lawmaker during a White House meeting.
At a listening session with county sheriffs from around the country, Trump invited the sheriffs seated in the White House’s Roosevelt Room to make a statement while reporters were present. Rockwall County, Texas, Sheriff Harold Eavenson spoke up first to discuss asset forfeiture, a practice by which law enforcement can seize the cash and property of individuals suspected of committing a crime without a guilty verdict.
Proponents of the practice argue that allows law enforcement to effectively combat terrorism and the drug trade, while opponents, including some conservatives, argue that it allows police to seize assets without due process. Trump’s predecessor, former President Barack Obama, sought to rein in an asset sharing program by which local law enforcement were given a share of whatever assets they seized.
“On asset forfeiture, we’ve got a state senator in Texas that was talking about introducing legislation to require conviction before we could receive that forfeiture money,” Eavenson said.
“Can you believe that?” Trump interjected.
“And I told him that the cartel would build a monument to him in Mexico if he could get that legislation passed,” the Texas sheriff continued.
“Who is the state senator? Do you want to give his name? We’ll destroy his career,” Trump replied, presumably suggesting that the lawmaker would suffer for holding a position contrary to the president’s.
The president’s remark elicited laughter from those gathered in the Roosevelt Room, although the president did not join in. Eavenson did not offer the Texas state senator’s name, and the public information officer for the Rockwall County sheriff’s office declined to name the lawmaker in question.
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President Trump: “Who is the state senator? Do you want to give his name? We’ll destroy his career" https://t.co/o9rzNTzg3d
— Louis Nelson (@louisjnelson) February 7, 2017
Sheriff tells Trump that state senator is doing something he doesn't like
Trump: "Do you want to give his name? We'll destroy his career." pic.twitter.com/75y3t9zc54
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) February 7, 2017
Trump blithely offers to destroy the career of politician who wants to require conviction before asset forfeiture: https://t.co/tstiCuNU1O
— Annie Lowrey (@AnnieLowrey) February 7, 2017
Fitting that a thuggish policy would be thuggishly defended https://t.co/igOFdRTq19
— Ramesh Ponnuru (@RameshPonnuru) February 7, 2017
I bet to that Texas state senator, it wasn't a joke. And maybe it wasn't. https://t.co/yHu93bsuEo
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 7, 2017
Sen. @KonniBurton's statement on yesterday's events regarding CAF. #txlege pic.twitter.com/1ndSeq03jE
— Elliott J. Griffin (@elliottjgriffin) February 8, 2017
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