“I said that one of the first things I’d do in terms of executive order if I win will be sign a strong, strong statement that will go out to the country, out to the world, that anybody killing policemen, police woman, police officer, anybody killing a police officer, death penalty is going to happen, OK”, he recounted telling the executive board. Applause broke out, drowning out the Republican frontrunner.
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Donald Trump, after receiving the endorsement of the New England Police Benevolence Association, announced that he supported the death penalty for anyone who kills a police officer.
Trump’s campaign did not immediately return a request for comment. All other Republican candidates were in the single digits in the survey.
Protesting outside Trump NH event. “But within two weeks people started staying: ‘Wow this is a problem, he is right'”.
The union boycotted President Obama’s Labor Day address in Boston earlier this year to make a statement about violence against cops. At the time, the union head accused Obama of not being supportive enough of police officers. “They’ve had a hard time”.
It was a message that resonated with many officers, including Sgt. Deborah Batista of Middleborough, Mass., who is vice president of the union.
The idea of imposing the death penalty for killing a law enforcer is nearly certainly a chimera as United States presidents only have power to influence sentencing in the minority of cases that are deemed federal homicides.
As the fall-out continues from his highly contentious proposal to close the country to all incoming Muslims for a temporary period in the wake of the San Bernardino terrorist attack, Trump audaciously claimed that the nation was starting to swing behind him. They had one guy who bought the guns. Nobody, I have a high education, went to an Ivy League school, I know everything. “Shut it all down until we figure it out – that’s what I want to see”. “I mean, how stupid do they think we are?”
Outside of the Sheraton Hotel in Portsmouth, dueling demonstrations took place: a group of 300 anti-Trump protesters, including a marching band playing music throughout, held up signs saying “Trump: America’s Hitler” and “Love Hate”.
He defended local police
departments’ use of military-style
vehicles and equipment – as long as they’re trained – which came under fire during the Ferguson, Mo., race riots. “A lot of people have been killed violently”, he said, without mentioning the widespread national unrest over police shootings of unarmed black teenagers.
“The things he has been spewing out… We supported the candidate, and we’re on board”, said Flynn.
Inside the hotel, a small group of union members got into a heated argument in the lobby after the event as a few reporters worked nearby. Several other officers declined to comment on the endorsement.
Trump was also the only invited candidate to show up to the meeting, said Jerry Flynn, the NEPBA’s executive director.
“How much more can law enforcement be reflected badly on?”
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The proposal is “not who we are as a party”, Ryan said. “I’m concerned for my three teenage kids”. “Well, you know what? We should consider closing the borders to anyone coming in to this country no matter who they are”. I will tell you that.
