Ex-FBI official rips Michigan police group for 'disgraceful' Trump endorsement

05 April 2024

Despite the fact that he is facing four criminal indictments and was accused of sexual assault by a well-known journalist, former President Donald Trump is campaigning as a "law and order" candidate. And on Tuesday, April 2, the 2024 GOP presidential nominee received an endorsement from the Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) — which has 12,000 members — and its president, Jim Tignanelli.

But support of Trump is hardly universal among Americans with a law enforcement background.

In a scathing opinion column published on April 4, Frank Figliuzzi — former assistant director of counterintelligence for the FBI — argues that POAM's Trump endorsement is embarrassing in light of the violence that his supporters inflicted on police officers when the U.S. Capitol Building was attacked on January 6, 2021.

"Tiagnelli and the POAM's leadership might argue that Trump has the backs of police around the country," Figliuzzi writes. "Tell that to the U.S. Capitol Police union who tallied 140 officers injured during the insurrection on January 6, 2021. Trump calls the criminals who assaulted those officers 'hostages,' whom he pledges to release if he wins the presidency again."

Two of the four criminal cases against Trump stem from his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results: one being prosecuted by special counsel Jack Smith for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the other by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for the State of Georgia.

Meanwhile, in two separate civil defamation lawsuits, former Elle Magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in 1996. Carroll won both cases, and between the two, Trump owes more than $88 million in damages.

"Endorsing a man who refers to migrants as animals, and was found liable for sexual assault, is anathema to the law enforcement mission," Figliuzzi argues. "Will rape victims report crimes to police departments who endorse Trump? Will migrants who are beaten because of the color of their skin report their incident to a sheriff who supports what Trump stands for? Hate and division are Trump's bread and butter — but hate and division have no business dressing up in a police uniform."

The former FBI official continues, "Tignanelli said he 'hopes that in the future with leaders like Trump, honor will be restored to the law enforcement profession.' But endorsing a man who stands against the rule of law and uses officers as props is the furthest thing from honorable."

Frank Figliuzzi's full MSNBC column is available at this link.

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