Perpetually whiny Rep. Adam Kinzinger wound down his congressional career with an exclamation point on his contempt for the United States Constitution by suggesting that the Fifth Amendment lacks any validity when it comes to political enemies.
The outgoing Illinois Republican who, along with fellow soon-to-be former lawmaker Rep. Liz Cheney, eagerly allowed themselves to be used as tools of the spiteful Nancy Pelosi by sitting on her hand-picked January 6 committee, drew a strong reaction for a tweet inferring that witnesses who exercised their Fifth Amendment rights to not incriminate themselves were guilty of wrongdoing.
“Quick reminder: pleading the 5th is because you don’t want to incriminate yourself. We respect the 5th amendment, but pleading the 5th says a lot,” tweeted Kinzinger.
Quick reminder: pleading the 5th is because you don’t want to incriminate yourself. We respect the 5th amendment, but pleading the 5th says a lot
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@AdamKinzinger) December 23, 2022
With the Soviet-style tribunal having wrapped up its work – at least in its current incarnation – with a criminal referral of former President Donald J. Trump to Attorney General Merrick Garland’s viciously partisan Justice Department, Kinzinger took a bow with his clueless tweet that led to him being roasted on a spit by Twitter users.
Criminal defense lawyer Scott Greenfield pointed out, “if the exercise of a constitutional right is, itself, damning, then there is no constitutional right.”
If the exercise of a constitutional right is, itself, damning, then there is no constitutional right.
This is no less true when you despise the person exercising the right than when you don't. https://t.co/qBFSJUHv1K
— Scott Greenfield (@ScottGreenfield) December 23, 2022
“It’s a constitutional right. Nothing is inferred or implied by exercising it,” wrote attorney Jason Roberge.
It’s a constitutional right. Nothing is inferred or implied by exercising it.
— Jason Roberge 🔴 (@JasonRobergeVA) December 23, 2022
Others on Twitter unloaded on Kinzinger for his spectacularly asinine take.
Imagine being this clueless. 😂
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) December 23, 2022
If there were one tweet that encapsulated why you shouldn’t be in our federal legislature…
— Jason “Storm Chaser” Nelson (@Storm4Congress) December 24, 2022
I plead the fifth because I have no need to speak to the government.
They do not get a right to compel me to speak.
If you can’t make your case, it’s not my responsibility to help you.
— Ross Schumann (@RossSchumann) December 23, 2022
The presumption of innocence is out the window now, eh?
Quite Commie of you, Adam
— Jack Lombardi II (@JackLombardi) December 24, 2022
We have watched many on your side use the 5th over and over we had to just live with it, because it is a right. Don’t try to take it away when it doesn’t suit your means to an end.
— Wilson Phillips (@WilsonP93806544) December 24, 2022
Do you people ever make any effort to limit the size of government or reduce spending? All you do is complain and bitch about your political enemies. What a bunch of losers.
— SReed (@stevereederiowa) December 23, 2022
A (soon to be former) elected official hates it when people exercise their Constitutional rights says a lot about our current class of government.
— Thirteen O’Clock – Todd (@o_thirteen) December 23, 2022
Pretty irresponsible for an outgoing Congressmen to frame the 5th Amendment this way. Pleading the 5th says nothing and makes prosecutors do the hard work.
Stop pretending like it’s some negotiation in good faith when one party is trying to incriminate and incarcerate you.
— McMinuteman (@McMinutemanUT) December 23, 2022
It actually says more about you that you’re critical of an American exercising any of his his Constitutional rights
— Olin Browne (@OlinBrowne) December 23, 2022
Damn. I’ve seen a lot of terrible takes and this is high up there.
It’s quite scary that you’re a lawmaker – although it kind of makes sense that a lawmaker like you would have such a bad take.
At least you’re not a lawyer.— Leftism (@LeftismForU) December 23, 2022
So proud I was able to play a small role in kicking you out of Congress and the contemporary GOP.
— Jeremy Carl (@jeremycarl4) December 23, 2022
This really has a “Burn the witch!” vibe to it.
If some doesn’t confess they’re guilty, they must be guilty!— Matthew (@MattB_Radio) December 23, 2022
Communist.
— Viva Frei (@thevivafrei) December 23, 2022
As Kinzinger and his ilk have repeatedly made clear, the political enemies of the fully authoritarian Democratic Party and its RINO stooges are unworthy of having constitutional rights. Fortunately for Americans, he will no longer be in a position where he can do further damage.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.