Staff Reports
Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican presidential candidate, stated on Twitter that he would “pardon” people who were convicted in “politicized prosecutions” on Wednesday. Ramaswamy announced that he would shut down “toxic agencies” such as the FBI and IRS, claiming that it takes someone from the outside to get the job done.
Vivek wants to take on the FBI https://t.co/6JNSO2oaAW
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 18, 2023
Ramaswamy spoke out in a video clip he posted alongside his tweet about Douglass Mackey, an internet troll best known for his Twitter account name “Ricky Vaughn 99,” who made memes on the social media platform about the 2016 US Presidential Election. Mackey was convicted by a jury in March of this year on charges related to his memes in which he urged Clinton supporters to “text” their votes rather than go to the polls.
We need to actually solve the cancer in the administrative-police state. I will shut down toxic agencies like the FBI & IRS. I’ll pardon any federal defendants who were convicted in politicized prosecutions. It takes an outsider to get the job done. pic.twitter.com/DPvWXBG8X6
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) May 17, 2023
Ramaswamy stated that Mackey is facing up to ten years in prison for merely making internet jokes about Clinton voters. This conviction is absurd and is an example of overreaching on the government’s part, according to Ramaswamy. Furthermore, he claimed that someone who made similar jokes about Trump supporters continues to go scot-free.
Ramaswamy was also reported to have donated $10,000 to the defense fund of Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran charged with manslaughter for restraining Jordan Neely on a New York City subway car. He previously expressed his support for shutting down the FBI following the release of a report by Special Counsel John Durham about the FBI’s origins investigation against allegations that former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.
The IRS has had its fair share of controversy, such as the ProPublica leak of tax information on some of America’s wealthiest individuals in 2021; a similar occurrence happened regarding conservative organizations in 2013. An ongoing investigation looks to find the source of these leaks. Additionally, the agency also came under fire for allegedly targeting the Tea Party in the Obama administration without any charges being pressed.
Ramaswamy’s statements demonstrate that he is a no-nonsense kind of guy who won’t stand idly by and watch the government overreach on its powers. He understands that the system has been corrupted and manipulated, and it needs to be fixed through a grassroots approach, rather than just hiring politicians with their brand of empty promises. It is time for America to be led by an outsider who knows what needs to be done to get the job done right.
