Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) is facing an ethics complaint filed to the United States Senate over comments she made earlier this month that many characterized as a "threat" to conservatives who are thinking about working for the Trump administration.
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who → face → administration
During an Oct. 13 University of Chicago event, Slotkin drew criticism after a clip went viral showing her saying she wants to pursue "signature cases" against people who "enabled" President Donald Trump and push a "deterrence message" for young people.
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who → draw → people
"I want young people coming out of school to say, âShould I go work for the Trump administration? Like, that sounds fun, I might get an opportunity.â
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I → want → administration
I want them to be like, âLord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I donât want, and so let me avoid participating in that,â" she said.
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she → want → that
"I want that deterrence message sent," Slotkin said.
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Slotkin → want → ?
Slotkin is now facing an ethics complaint filed Thursday by Michael Bicksel, a University of Chicago student who first reported her remarks.
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who → face → remarks
The complaint was submitted to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and argues that Slotkin proposed using congressional investigations and potential prosecutions to frighten young people away from serving in a Republican administration.
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Slotkin → submit → administration
"Recently at an event at my college, the University of Chicago, Senator Slotkin laid out a legislative-oversight agenda that involved using the legal process to terrorize members of the Trump administration in order to âdeterâ young people from going to work for it," Bicksel wrote.
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Bicksel → lay → it
The complaint asks the committee to determine whether Slotkinâs comments amounted to "improper conduct which may reflect upon the Senate," a standard described in the Senate Ethics Manual as applying to conduct that may be unethical even if it does not violate a specific law or Senate rule.
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it → ask → law
"As a college student and a conservative, this was a shocking thing to hear," Bickselâs complaint reads.
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complaint → hear → student
"A prominent U.S. Senator came to my college and laid out a goal that I and my peers should be afraid to serve our country in the executive branch.
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I → come → branch
This is well below the standard of conduct expected of a U.S. Senator and deserves investigation by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and appropriate subsequent disciplinary action.
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This → expect → Ethics
Bicksel argued that Slotkinâs comments were directed at students considering government service, rather than exclusively at people who commit crimes or engage in unethical conduct.
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who → argue → conduct
"The substance of the âdeterrence messageâ is clear as day," Bicksel wrote.
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Bicksel → write → day
"Her target was âyoung people coming out of schoolâ (like me and my classmates) who are debating whether they should âgo work for the Trump administration.â
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they → come → Trump
"
"We are obviously not debatingâas she subsequently tried to clarifyâwhether to go commit crimes or behave unethically," he continued.
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he → try → crimes
"Those who commit crimes should be punished for doing so.
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who → commit → crimes
No one disagrees with that.
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one → disagree → that
All we are debating is public service, pure and simple, and Senator Slotkin says we should think twice about doing so because it might provoke the full power of the United States Senate."
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it → debate → Senate
Slotkin, when pressed on the response to her comment on CNN, referred to the controversy as "manufactured outrage."
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Slotkin → press → outrage
"I think the thing that Iâve heard from my own Republican colleagues and peers, including interns and folks who work around the Hill who come to our events, theyâll tell you, 'I was worried," Slotkin added.
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Slotkin → think → you
"My parents were worried, you know.
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you → know → ?
Politics, in general, has become messy."
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Politics → become → ?
The Justice Department is currently facing calls to investigate Slotkin over her remarks, Washington Examiner reported on Wednesday.
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Examiner → face → Wednesday
Slotkin's communication director pointed Fox News Digital to a statement made by the senator on Tuesday when reached for comment.
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director → point → comment
"Now, if you take a breath, this is all pretty crazy.
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this → take → breath
A president from the Oval office is weaponizing our justice system against an American who clearly gets under his skin.
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who → weaponize → skin
And if he can do it to me, he can do it to anyone," Slotkin said.
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Slotkin → do → anyone
"His supporters use a coordinated play to threaten, intimidate, and silence anyone who speaks up.
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who → use → anyone
Itâs a play to distract us from his failed economy, high gas prices, and the disastrous war he started with Iran.
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he → itâ → Iran
But if Iâve learned one thing from this past year, itâs that you have to push back."
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you → learn → year
The Aporia
