Slotkin wants GOP prosecutions to deter young people from Trump administration jobs
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin said she wants to pursue "signature cases" against people who enabled President Donald Trump, with the goal of making young people think twice before taking jobs in his administration.
Slotkin made the comments during an October 13 event at the University of Chicago focused on her political path and the future of the Democratic Party.
She said she wants to look at "signature cases" against people who "enabled" President Trump, not just the president himself.
The Michigan Democrat said she wants prospective administration employees to weigh the risks of working for the administration.
"I want young people coming out of school to say, should I go work for the Trump administration? Like, that sounds fun, I might get an opportunity. I want them to be like, Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, and so let me avoid participating in that," she said.
Slotkin added, "I want that deterrence message."
The remarks have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.
Law professor Jonathan Turley wrote on X that Slotkin had "said the quiet part out loud," arguing she wants to deter young people from supporting the administration.
OPM director condemns remarks
Scott Kupor, the director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which manages the federal government’s civilian workforce, called Slotkin’s comments "disappointing and unprofessional."
"This is incredibly disappointing and unprofessional coming from a U.S. senator — endorsing political prosecutions to dissuade patriotic Americans from serving their country," Kupor wrote on X.
Kupor said, "In contrast, we at OPM believe in recruiting the best and brightest early-career prospects."
The debate over Slotkin’s remarks has intensified as the midterms approach, adding to the discussion on how Democrats would use congressional power if they win control of the House or Senate.
Critics call it intimidation
Michael Bicksel, a University of Chicago student, said Slotkin’s remarks made him and other conservative students feel they could face political persecution for serving in the Trump administration.
"Sen. Slotkin, a self-avowed 'defender of democracy,' told me and other conservative students that we should live in fear of political persecution if we dare serve our country in the Trump administration. Sadly for her, we will never be intimidated by her Bolshevik-style tactics," he wrote on X.
Former President Barack Obama criticized the Trump administration’s scrutiny of Rep. Ilhan Omar, arguing she was being targeted for her political views.
"The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views," Obama wrote on X.
Omar is facing two separate federal inquiries: federal agents searched her Washington home as part of an investigation into her immigration paperwork, while D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said her office was examining Omar’s financial disclosures after businesses tied to her husband reported a sharp increase in value.
One commenter accused Obama of overlooking what they saw as a parallel: Slotkin’s call for investigations of Trump administration officials.
He highlights their opposition to voter ID, framing it as an 'existential' part of their strategy.
Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) counters, arguing Democrats seek a one-party nation through open borders, unvetted immigrants swelling census numbers, and obstructing election integrity measures.
Related
