Update: Gov. Bevin's comments have drawn fire from Kentucky Democrats. See below.
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin says blood might be shed if Democrat Hillary Clinton is elected president.
Speaking to the annual Values Voter Summit on Saturday in Washington, Bevin was asked if the country could ever recover if Clinton is elected president. Bevin said it was possible, but quoted Thomas Jefferson:
"The roots of the tree of liberty are watered by what? The blood," said Bevin. "Of who? The tyrants, to be sure, but who else? The patriots. Whose blood will be shed? It may be that of those in this room."
You can watch Bevin's speech in the video below. He begins his patriots and tyrants comments at 11:48.
The Republican governor says his nine children might be needed to redeem something "that we through our apathy and indifference have given away."
Bevin later tweeted to clarify his statement saying that "any intelligent person would understand the message I delivered."
Any intelligent person will easily understand the message I delivered...full speech here: https://t.co/AKrtYBsiKY pic.twitter.com/jVB0yhhkK1
— Governor Matt Bevin (2015-2019) (@GovMattBevin) September 13, 2016
Bevin says he was speaking about the sacrifice required of members of the military, saying "we cannot be complacent about the determination of radical Islamic extremists to destroy our freedoms."
Update: Response from Kentucky Democrats.
The comments have drawn fire from Democrats. Attorney General Andy Beshear criticized Bevin’s comments in a statement. “It is grossly irresponsible for a public official to suggest or even to condone physical violence or bloodshed based on the potential outcome of an election,” Beshear said. “Our entire system of government is based on peaceful elections. And being a patriot is not determined by any philosophy, but by service, sacrifice, and commitment to country.”
Lexington Mayor and Democratic Senate candidate Jim Gray called on Bevin to apologize for his remarks.
"Using religion as a tool of violence and frightening people has no place in politics. Frightened people do dangerous things, and encouraging fear and violence is absolutely wrong," Gray said, in a release. "No matter who the President is next January, it's our job to work together to find solutions to better the lives of Kentuckians."
Democratic congressional candidate Nancy Jo Kemper called for Bevin’s impeachment, saying that his “call to shed the blood of fellow Americans is unconstitutional, and an impeachable violation of his sworn oath to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth.”
