Tudor Dixon ratcheted up the dangerous rhetoric in her campaign on Friday, making shameful jokes about the violent plot to kidnap and assassinate Governor Whitmer that resulted in two convictions. After receiving widespread backlash, Tudor not only doubled down on her extreme comments with another distasteful joke, she tripled down by saying she was just finding “fun” and “levity” in domestic terrorism plots.
Her comedy bit didn’t land with her audience, and it definitely didn’t land with Michiganders. Even the Republican Governors Association “declined to comment” (read: couldn’t come up with a defense) for Tudor’s comments.
Making light of a dangerous plot on Governor Whitmer’s life shows Dixon isn’t fit to serve in public office. Here’s what Michiganders are reading about Dixon’s “deliberately disgusting” words:
Tudor Dixon, the Republican challenging Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, made light of the 2020 kidnapping plot against Whitmer on Friday, telling a crowd that the Democratic governor “sure is good at taking business hostage and holding it for ransom.” She said Whitmer is “not a businesswoman” and is a “politician with a law degree,” and then invoked the kidnapping plot.
A federal jury in August convicted two men of conspiring to kidnap Whitmer at her vacation home in 2020. They were also convicted of one count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction after prosecutors detailed their plans to blow up a bridge to prevent police from responding to the kidnapping of the governor. The men now face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
“The sad thing is that Gretchen will tie your hands, put a gun to your head, and ask if you’re ready to talk,” Dixon said at the event, which was hosted with Kellyanne Conway, a former Trump White House aide. “For someone so worried about being kidnapped, Gretchen Whitmer sure is good at taking business hostage and holding it for ransom.”
MSNBC: WATCH: GOP nominee jokes about kidnapping plot against Michigan governor
MIKA BRZENISKI: During two campaign events on Friday, Dixon made light of the high profile 2020 kidnapping conspiracy which led to criminal charges against six people including convictions for two men…I’m just adding this to the list of Republicans who just think it’s cool to be cruel and nasty, and to lie and to mock people for serious things.
JONATHAN LEMIRE: It does seem to be the governing ethos of the GOP right now is to own the Libs. This isn’t even a good own, this is disturbing and cruel rhetoric…her life was in danger… that is not a laughing matter.
MLive: Tudor Dixon doubles down on jokes about Whitmer kidnapping plot
Hours later in Muskegon, Dixon said the quip was no joke.
“If you were afraid of that, you should know what it is to have your life ripped away from you,” Dixon said, before quickly clarifying, “that was a joke, what I just said. Just so the media gets it, that’s what a joke is.”
Dixon later told reporters “I think when you’re being attacked every day, you have to have a little levity and we can still have fun.”
Fourteen people were arrested on state and federal charges in connection with a 2020 plot to kidnap Whitmer. Two have been convicted by a jury, two have pleaded guilty and two others were acquitted on federal charges.
ABC Flint: Republican Tudor Dixon makes light of plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer
After her comment drew backlash, Dixon joked again about the kidnapping plot at a second event Friday, this time with Donald Trump Jr., the son of the former President.
She told a crowd that, at a stop with President Joe Biden at the Detroit Auto Show last week, Whitmer looked like she’d “rather be kidnapped by the FBI.”
“Yeah, the media is like, ‘Oh my gosh, she did it again,'” Dixon said, anticipating the reaction to her second reference of the day to the 2020 kidnapping plot.
[…]
“Tudor Dixon’s comments are dangerous, an insult to law enforcement who keep us safe, and utterly disqualifying for the role of Michigan governor. Dixon’s backers in the DeVos family and at the RGA should condemn her dangerous extremism,” Democratic Governors Association spokesman Sam Newton said in a statement.
