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John Guandolo Says Members of Congress Should Be 'Swinging From a Rope'

Anti-Muslim activist John Guandolo (Image from video of South Carolina Tea Party Coalition's 2018 convention)

John Guandolo, a disgraced(link is external) former FBI agent, right-wing conspiracy theorist(link is external), and anti-Islam activist(link is external), doubled down on his defense(link is external) of right-wing activists who stormed(link is external) the U.S. Capitol last week in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying the election for President-elect Joe Biden.

Guandolo is a radical right-wing activist who leads an organization called Understanding The Threat, through which he trains(link is external) law enforcement agencies(link is external) around the country(link is external) to identify seemingly anyone(link is external) with dark skin and a beard(link is external) as an Islamic terrorist. Last Thursday, he praised(link is external) the MAGA activists and members of militia organizations and far-right hate groups who carried out the insurrection for supposedly showing incredible "restraint" by not rounding up members of Congress and summarily executing them.

On Friday, Guandolo appeared on(link is external) the "America, Can We Talk?" YouTube program where he again defended the insurrectionists and declared that members of Congress are traitors and "enemies of the republic" who should be "swinging from a rope."

"They weren't trying to hurt anyone," Guandolo said(link is external). "They are angry because their country is being surrendered to hostile forces. And they see it, they know it, they understand it. Our election was stolen, and they are as angry at the Republican Party as they are at anybody else. Because, remember, it's the Republicans—it's Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy—that went on the radio last night and condemned President Trump and his supporters. And to them, I say, 'Screw you.' They are the enemies of the republic."

"It's amazing to me that the reality of what came to their front door didn't register at all to them," Guandolo continued. "They are so arrogant, they are so condescending [that] nothing is going to snap them into reality except for patriots taking back control of their government and people like that swinging from a rope because these are traitors to the country."