The MAGA movement, which has sought to align itself with the principle of “freedom of speech,” sure isn’t too happy about criticism of its newly unelected bureaucrat, Elon Musk. Indeed, a federal attorney in Washington D.C., who was recently appointed by Trump, has launched a new initiative designed to prosecute those who “threaten” Musk and other public employees.
This week, interim US Attorney Ed Martin announced “Operation Whirlwind,” which is a new initiative to prosecute threats against public officials, the Washington Post writes. The name of the initiative appears to reference a comment made by Chuck Schumer in 2020 (close to half a decade ago) when, amidst the Supreme Court’s deliberation over whether to ditch women’s constitutional right to an abortion, Schumer said that the federal justices had “released the whirlwind” and would “pay the price.” Schumer subsequently apologized for the harsh rhetoric which, all things considered, is really not that bad next to a lot of the stuff Trump has said.
Martin’s “Whirlwind” was also apparently inspired by him having learned of threats against those working with the Department of Government Efficiency, the government demolition effort being led by Trump’s “first buddy,” Elon Musk. “We are the DC US Attorney’s office; we are the guardians of federal workers,” Martin wrote in a note circulated throughout his office. “You and I must do whatever possible to assure government work is safe for all involved. We must protect our cops, our prosecutors, our DOGE workers, the President, and all other government employees from threats against our nation.”
To hear a Trump-aligned prosecutor talk about being the guardian of “federal workers” is somewhat hilarious, given the fact that Trump and DOGE are currently decimating the federal workforce and laying siege to the very notion of public sector work.
Martin is probing top elected officials over their hostile rhetoric against conservative figures. Martin recently sent letters to elected Democrats over their criticism of Musk, DOGE, and the Supreme Court. Those letters were sent to Rep. Robert Garcia (D-California) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York), the Post reports.
A portion of one letter, sent to Rep. Garcia, and provided by the Washington Post, reads as follows:
At this time, I respectfully request that you clarify your comments from February 12, 2025. During a live interview with CNN, when asked how Democrats can stop Elon Musk, you spoke clearly: “What the American public wants is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight. This is an actual fight for democracy.”
This sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk – an appointed representative of President Donald Trump who you call a “dick” – and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry.
We take threats against public officials very seriously. I look forward to your cooperation with my letter of inquiry after request. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Please respond by February 24, 2025.
First off, calling Elon Musk a dick is a no-brainer. In fact, “dick” is a rather tame descriptor for what Musk is. Others have found much more colorful ways to describe his essence.
Secondly, it would appear that Martin doesn’t understand freedom of speech, is being disingenuous, or did not pass high school English. Indeed, Martin should know—as most viewers of that interview do—that Garcia was not literally talking about weapons, just as he was not literally suggesting that members of Congress are in a bar fight with the President. Instead, the “bar fight” and the “weapons” were both what speakers of the English language call metaphors —sophisticated rhetorical constructions in which, as Merriam-Webster has put it, “a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.”
Garcia, in a statement to the Post, said he had not received a copy of the letter: “No reasonable person would view these comments as a threat, and it’s interesting that the letter was sent to The Washington Post, yet we have not received it. We are living in a dangerous time, and elected members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration.” By the afternoon, Garcia posted the full letter on social media.
So if you criticize Elon Musk, Trump’s DOJ will send you this letter. Members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration. I will not be silenced. pic.twitter.com/Tgp70GmTv7
— Robert Garcia (@RobertGarcia) February 20, 2025
Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor and University of Michigan law professor who was interviewed by the Post, noted that it was “a fair inference that these letters are designed more to chill free speech than to seek clarification, as they purport to do.”
The surge in threats against public workers and lawmakers is real, although it’s somewhat bizarre to see MAGA attempting to reframe itself as the standard-bearer on this issue. The current President has notably referred to his political enemies as “vermin” and “scum” and has repeatedly threatened to jail or “destroy” them. Threats against members of Congress are reportedly at an all-time high. The homes of six Democratic lawmakers were reportedly targeted with bomb threats this past Thanksgiving, and others have been subjected to swatting attacks, mailed threats, and other intimidation efforts that, unlike Garcia’s recent remarks, were literal, not metaphorical.
