New York - Former New York Governor, George Pataki, called for a “war on radical Islam” via his Twitter account on Friday.
New York – Former New York Governor, George Pataki, called for a “war on radical Islam” via his Twitter account on Friday.
Pataki who is running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination with less than 1 percent support in the polls took on to social media to urge Americans to “kill all” radical Islamists following the San Bernardino attacks on Wednesday.
Tagging Attorney General Loretta Lynch and refuting her recent comments denouncing violence in America, Pataki posted a controversial statement.
“We must declare war on radical Islam. @LorettaLynch I’m not edging toward violent speech, I’m declaring we kill them. Go ahead, arrest me,” Pataki’s tweet read.
We must declare war on radical Islam. @LorettaLynch I’m not edging toward violent speech, I’m declaring we kill them. Go ahead, arrest me.
— George E. Pataki (@GovernorPataki) December 4, 2015
The former NY Governor was referencing Lynch’s recent comment where she said, “I think it’s important, however, that as we again talk about the importance of free speech we make it clear that actions predicated on violent talk are not America they are not who were they are not what we do and they will be prosecuted.”
Pataki’s strong tweet has been “liked” nearly 2,200 times and “retweeted” over 2,100 times.
According to political analysts in New York, the candidate’s bold remarks are a move to benefit from the current wave of Islamophobia and win far-right supporters for his campaign.
The 70-year-old American lawyer and politician served as the 53rd Governor of New York from 1995 to 2006. Pataki was in office during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
His New York City office moved out of the World Trade Center in the months before the 9/11 attacks to new offices on Third Avenue and Fifth Street.
This is Pataki’s first federal-level campaign, yet he is far from leading the GOP party, as the latest polls show he has garnered less than 1 percent support from American voters.