Joe Walsh: 'If Trump Loses, I'm Grabbing My Musket'

Ex-congressman mocked, slammed for call to arms
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 27, 2016 12:30 AM CDT
Ex-GOP Rep: 'If Trump Loses, I'm Grabbing My Musket'
In this Nov. 15, 2011, file photo, former Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., appears during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

A former GOP congressman claims he will be taking up arms—antiquated ones—if Hillary Clinton wins the election. "On November 8th, I'm voting for Trump," Joe Walsh tweeted Wednesday. "On November 9th, if Trump loses, I'm grabbing my musket. You in?" Walsh, who represented a Chicago-area district for a single term in the House and is now a conservative radio host, later told CNN's Jake Tapper that musket-grabbing "means protesting. Participating in acts of civil disobedience. Doing what it takes to get our country back."

Walsh's tweet caused amusement as well as outrage on social media, with former Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings tweeting: "Joe Walsh musket. Joe Walsh musket who? Joe Walsh musket a lot of visits from the Secret Service," the Wrap reports. To that, Walsh tweeted: "Nope. They understand that a musket hasn't been used in battle in almost 200 years." Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, wasn't laughing: "Joe Walsh's continued vile and violent rhetoric has no place in our political discussion," he said in a statement. In July, Walsh tweeted, "This is now war. Watch out Obama" after five police officers were shot dead in Dallas. (More Joe Walsh (politician) stories.)

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