Death threats force Dem lawmaker to cancel psychiatrist-led panel on Trump inspiring violence

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) had planned to convene a psychiatrist-led panel to talk about whether President Donald Trump inspires his followers to commit acts of violence.

However, that event scheduled at a senior center had to be canceled after it received violent threats from purported Trump supporters, reported The Daily Beast.

Lauren Doney, who serves as Raskin's communications director, says the congressman often receives threats from Trump supporters, particularly when he publicly brings up the possibility of removing the president via the 25th Amendment.

"Whenever my boss talks about the 25th Amendment there will be an uptick in comments on social media, or phone calls, or emails, that contain either explicit threats or generally violent and hateful language," she said.

Dr. Bandy X. Lee, an associate professor at Yale who was scheduled to speak at the event, said that being forced to cancel an event on Trump-inspired violence because of death threats from Trump fans only reinforced her belief that the president's rhetoric is taking America down a dangerous road.

"Our fears were correct... that the president’s supporters are very violent and ready to inflict violence," she said.