Right-wing activist Mark Meckler is calling for New York City to be expelled from the United States in response to the conviction of former President Donald Trump for trying to cover up his adulterous affair with an adult film actress out of fear that its revelation would hurt his 2016 presidential campaign.
Meckler is a radical Christian nationalist who serves as president of the Convention of States Foundation which seeks to get state legislatures to call for a dangerous Article V convention that will propose constitutional amendments to dramatically limit the power of the federal government.
From the start of Trump’s trial, Meckler has repeatedly demanded that Republicans “engage in full lawfare” against Democrats as retribution, calling on every district attorney in every conservative county in every red state to bring “the most brutal changes we can possibly bring” against every Democrat they can. But now Meckler has kicked things up a notch by calling for New York City to be walled off and removed from the union.
“We ought to build a wall around New York City. We ought to close off the bridges and we ought to separate them from the United States of America,” Meckler declared, saying he was only being “semi-facetious.” “There is no rule of law in New York City anymore. There is no due process in New York City anymore. There is no United States Constitution in New York City anymore. It operates as if it doesn’t believe in the rule of law, it doesn’t believe in the United States Constitution, so let’s just cut them out. Let them figure it out on their own. Let’s see how well New York City does without the rest of the country.”
“I think we ought to look into figuring out, when Trump’s in office, how and if we can do this,” Meckler continued. “This is a cancer in our country and it needs to be removed. I don’t know what the best remedy is so that’s why I said this is semi-facetious, but I’d be willing to look into let’s get New York City out of the United States of America because they don’t believe in due process anymore.”
“I think New York City is forfeiting its right to be part of the United States of America, and I think we ought to seriously look into that,” Meckler concluded. “I don’t know if it can be done, that’s why I say I’m only half-serious about this. [But] I could be made to be wholly serious.”
| Every day, Right Wing Watch exposes extremism to help the public, activists, and journalists understand the strategies and tactics of anti-democratic forces—and respond to an increasingly aggressive and authoritarian far-right movement. The threat is growing, but our resources are not. Any size contribution will help us continue our work and become more effective at disrupting the ideologies, people, and organizations that threaten our freedom and democracy. Please make an investment in Right Wing Watch’s defense of the values we share. |
