Jeffrey Cox is a deputy attorney general for the state of Indiana, and he has some strong views about the protests in Wisconsin. In response to a Mother Jones tweetthis weekend reporting that riot police might be used to clear protestors from the capitol building in Madison, Cox tweeted back: “Use live ammunition”:
Cox remained steadfast in his position that the protestors should be killed whenconfronted on Twitter by Mother Jones’ Adam Weinstein, writing that “against thugs physically threatening legally-elected state legislators & governor? You’re damn right I advocate deadly force.” (There have been no reports that the protestors have physically threatened any elected officials).
Mother Jones contacted the Office of the Indiana Attorney General, and a spokesman told the magazine that Cox’s statements were “inflammatory” and that there would be “an immediate review” Cox’s online statements. “We do not condone any comments that would threaten or imply violence or intimidation toward anyone,” he added.
That review might take a while. On his blog, Cox has a long record of inflammatory rhetoric. Mother Jones notes that he has compared former Labor Secretary Robert Reich and members of SEIU to “brownshirts,” and wrote that his Afghanistan policy is “KILL! KILL! ANNIHILATE!”
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Jay Bookman reports that right-wingers posting on the Free Republic website have been calling for armed counterprotests in Atlanta today. In response to a pro-labor SEIU rally, one Free Republic user anounces that counterprotesters carrying arms will attend “with the usual accoutrements.” Reviewing the comments section, Bookman writes, “A couple of posters advised against bringing firearms to the rally, but that point of view did not seem to carry the day.”
UPDATECalling the incident a "serious matter," the Indiana Attorney General's Office said it has begun an "immediate review" of Cox's comment and will take any "appropriate personnel action" to address it. The progressive advocacy organization People for the American Way has also called for Cox's resignation.
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