Ex-RNC Chair Hits Republicans Not Denouncing Dangerous Rhetoric With A Harsh Truth

Former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele on Tuesday warned Republicans who are failing to denounce violent rhetoric that they’ll eventually become targets too.

“The flipside of this coin is it comes for you too at some point,” Steele told MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace. “If you somehow think because you’re standing so close to the disease, you’re not going to catch it. Well, you will, it’s going to come for you too.”

Steele and Wallace talked about the escalation in menacing language — current examples being former President Donald Trump’s threats toward court staff, judges and prosecutors involved in his myriad legal cases, and the anonymous vitriol aimed at lawmakers who didn’t back Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to become House speaker — and the GOP’s reluctance to call it out.

“The environment could improve at any moment should Republicans chose to improve it and they don’t. Why?” asked Wallace.

“Because they like it, they’re ok with it,” Steele replied. “It fuels the energy around the base that allows them to put $100 every month on their credit card, that will be there when it’s time to turn out the vote.”