Military Should Arrest Obama, NH GOP State Rep Candidate Says in Letter

LACONIA, NH — A letter and follow-up response by a Republican candidate running for state representative in New Hampshire’s 15th largest city calling for the arrest of President Barack Obama is causing a firestorm in political circles in the Granite State, according to a story in the Laconia Daily Sun. Earlier this week, Jim McCoole wrote to the newspaper calling for the president to be arrested for violating the Constitutional and lying about a number of public policies including being able to keep your doctor under the president’s Affordable Care Act plan and ISIS being a junior varsity terrorist team. In the letter, he also attacked Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for her lack of action during the Benghazi attacks and for promoting socialism.

“Simply put, they are both ‘domestic enemies’ of the United States, and anyone who supports them and their policies for America, which are based on the ‘Saul Alinsky School of Dishonesty and Deception,’ does not care about the future of this country, or believe in the concept of American Exceptionalism,” he wrote. “I have been hoping that out of the thousands of generals and admirals in our military, that just a small handful would emerge with enough courage and conviction, to take (Obama) into custody, and make him stand trial for treason.”

In a follow-up story, McCoole said his comments were “totally rhetorical,” but added, “I would definitely want some way or other for Obama to be removed from office, but I would not support a coup. I'm not suggesting we take over the government by force.”

State Rep. Steve Shurtleff, D-Penacook, the House Democratic Leader, blasted the comments calling them “outrageous, troubling, and unfortunately all-too-common in the Republican Party of Donald Trump.”

He added, “Saying that one was 'hoping' that generals in our military would commit willful treason is disqualifying behavior for a candidate seeking public office. Republican leadership's continuing tolerance of dangerous rhetoric betrays the spirit of our democracy and the efficient running of our government."

Shurtleff also called on leadership in the party to condemn the comments.

The controversial letter by McCoole come on the heels of other Republican state representative candidates like Al Baldasaro of Londonderry suggesting that Clinton should be shot for treason, due to her alleged violation of Uniform Code of Military Justice in the Constitution as Secretary of State.

Read the report on laconiadailysun.com. Read the full letter here.