“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough repeatedly pressed Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) on Tuesday to condemn threats against Ferguson, Mo. police Officer Darren Wilson and his family.
Scarborough discussed the situation in Ferguson with McCaskill ahead of an impending grand jury decision on whether to charge Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. He was particularly concerned about threats police say certain groups have directed at Wilson.
“If [Wilson] is not indicted … what would you say to Missouri residents about this police officer and how he should be treated moving forward in this community?” Scarborough asked the senator.
McCaskill pointed out that even if Wilson is acquitted by the grand jury, he may face federal civil rights charges later on. She then began to explain why the black community’s “rush to judgment” in the case against Wilson was understandable when Scarborough cut in.
“Claire, I’m talking specifically about this man and his family who’ve had dollar prices placed on their heads by extremist organizations,” Scarborough pressed. “Can you just come out and say, ‘Respect him, and if he’s acquitted then stay the hell away from him and stay the hell away from his family?'”
“Well of course,” McCaskill responded. “I think that’s kind of obvious, Joe.”
“Well, no, it’s not obvious,” Scarborough insisted. “Because I keep asking you about this officer and his family. And I’m just curious, if he is acquitted, does he get his life back? Does his family get their life back?”
“There is absolutely no excuse for people threatening violence in this issue. And I thought that was obvious,” McCaskill said. “But I will say it. Absolutely inappropriate. If this officer is not indicted, he and his family should be safe and they should carry on with the rest of their life and people should respect that.”
Watch below via MSNBC:
