New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker appeared on MSNBC’s The BriefingThursday and made it clear — not even the threat of jail from President Donald Trump is going to shut him up.
During the segment, host Jen Psaki brought up Trump’s recent attacks and asked Booker what message he had for whistleblowers and others speaking out in a tense political environment.
“Trump attacked you today,” Psaki said. “You’re in elected office. You accept that, I know. But what do you say to people? What is your message to whistleblowers or people whose stories are so important to tell about why they should do it now, and what impact it could have?”
Booker didn’t hesitate. “Stand up and fight,” he said.
“I’m going to continue to fight,” he added. “I don’t care if this president calls me out every day, mean tweets me, threatens me.”
Booker pointed to arrests of officials in Newark as part of what he described as a broader effort to intimidate.
“We know I’ve had open conversations with senators I never thought I would have because we saw what they’ve done with a congressperson,” he said. “My Congresswoman LaMonica McIver — arresting her. My mayor — they’ve arrested. They’re picking off, it seems, people that live in Newark that are in elected positions. But I don’t care. Throw me in jail. Do what you have to do. I’m going to continue to stand up for what’s right.”
He ended with a call for others to join him.
“I’m hoping that when one person stands up and calls this out, it ignites the courage of another person and another person and another person,” Booker continued. “We have to, at a time that our fundamental rights and freedoms — that the very democracy we know is precious — is under attack by this president. We’ve got to have more people willing to stand up and fight and take him on.”
Rep. McIver, a Democrat from New Jersey, made her initial court appearance in May after being charged by the Department of Justice for allegedly assaulting ICE agents.
Appearing virtually from Washington, D.C., the judge ordered McIver to surrender her firearms and barred her from traveling outside the United States, at least until her preliminary hearing, which took place June 11.
Fox News reported that the New Jersey Democrat is fundraising off her indictment to “fight back” against what she claimed are charges motivated by racism.
Appearing via video, 38-year-old McIver was read her rights before being released on her own recognizance. She faces up to eight years in prison if convicted and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the New York Post.
McIver is prohibited from leaving the country unless travel is required for official duties, and must provide prior notice to the government in such cases, The Post said.
McIver, who has represented New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District since September, dismissed the charges as “purely political” and accused ICE agents at the scene of escalating the confrontation, though video of the altercation appears to clearly show her shoving and striking ICE agents at a New Jersey detention facility.
“It was very unnecessary,” she told CNN Tuesday, calling the charges “absurd” as she insisted she was “there to do my job.”
“If I’m going to be charged with a crime for doing my job, it really speaks to where we’re headed in this country,” she added.
Acting New Jersey US Attorney Alina Habba defended the felony charges, telling The Post that the alleged assault of federal agents by the congresswoman was unacceptable.
“This has nothing to do with congressional oversight, and it has nothing to do with politics. It’s about respecting those who risk their lives to keep us safe,” said Habba, once President Donald Trump’s personal attorney.
