In a Twitter joke that didn’t land too well, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tweeted that Donald Trump should “punch a cop” on his way to the DA’s office on Tuesday. It was more of a jibe aimed at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s (D) approach to crime but it opened a door to a great deal of scrutiny.
By Tuesday, Trump will have left Mar-a-Lago to surrender himself in New York after becoming the first ex-president in history to be indicted on many charges that will remain unknown until he appears in court. He will not be handcuffed but other than that, the process will remain the same. He’ll be booked, a mugshot will be taken, and that will become fodder for a whole new round of memes.
Graham’s “advice” comes at the worst possible time and displays a tone-deaf attitude to the situation.
To give the joke some context, per the New York Post, “Since taking office on Jan. 1, Bragg has downgraded 52% of felony cases to misdemeanors — compared to 39% in all of 2019.” The article goes on to say, “When serious felony charges are brought, Bragg’s office wins a conviction just 51% of the time — down from 68% in 2019, the last year before the pandemic disrupted the court system.”
So, the right has been hammering Bragg for his soft-on-crime position but Graham’s joke isn’t hitting well at all. And while he did rush to explain how his tweet was meant to be an ironic comment, those in the comments are not in agreement.
We know your double-meaning here was intentional, Lindsey. Remember when the Republican Party was the law-and-order party?
— 🦇 Misha Collins 🦇 (@mishacollins) March 31, 2023
Given his status as a Trump supporter, being tactful and sensitive isn’t his forte but he continues to surprise.
I mean I know the bar was pretty low with you, but jeez.
— 🇵🇹 snipe, lixo tóxico ⭑⭒⭒⭒⭒ (@snipeyhead) March 31, 2023
And of course, the core issue is that his attempt at humor conjures memories of a failed insurrection attempt not too long ago.
You mean like Jan 6?
— Peter Ramsey (@pramsey342) March 31, 2023
The mugshot memes are already coming and they haven’t even been shot yet.
You okay? pic.twitter.com/ecyLI6khiF
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) March 31, 2023
Evidently providing
I dare Dear Leader to do that! Please keep providing legal advice, Linds
— Khary Penebaker (@kharyp) March 31, 2023
Of course, no clap back is better than digging up words from the past that has the potential to render anyone, even Graham, speechless.
— Paul Leary (@paulleary) April 1, 2023
This problematic “joke” not only conveys that Graham severely lacks the understanding to know what to not make fun of, but also establishes that he isn’t exactly a sensible Trump supporter as he just reminded everyone of the role Trump played in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots at a time when he is about to be prosecuted for another crime.