DiGenova made his comments on Monday, Nov. 30, during an appearance on alternative media network Newsmax' program, the Howie Carr Show. He aimed his comments at Chris Krebs, the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a national cybersecurity protection agency under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security.
This was not a coincidence," said DiGenova during his phone interview. "This was all planned, and anybody who thinks the election went well, like that idiot Krebs who used to be the head of security, that guy is a class A moron. He should be drawn and quartered. Taken out at dawn and shot."
Newsmax journalist Howie Carr who was interviewing DiGenova was taken aback by the comment and did not challenge it, preferring instead to move on to another question.
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Krebs was fired by President Donald Trump on Nov. 17 for supposedly disputing his claim that there was widespread fraud in the election.
"The recent statement by Chris Krebs on the security of the 2020 election was highly inaccurate, in that there were massive improprieties and fraud – including dead people voting, poll watchers not allowed into polling locations, 'glitches' in the voting machines which changed votes from Trump to Biden, late voting and many more," said Trump in a series of tweets that announced Krebs' firing.
"Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of [CISA]."
Krebs suggests he is taking legal action against DiGenova's comments
Krebs said that he was looking at all of his "available opportunities" to respond to DiGenova's off-handed comments.
During an appearance on NBC's TODAY Show on Tuesday, Dec. 1, Krebs told host Savannah Guthrie that he was consulting with his "exceptional team of lawyers" and that they are "probably going to be busy."
"It's certainly more dangerous language, more dangerous behavior," said Krebs. "The way I look at it, we're a nation of laws, and I plan to take advantage of those laws. I've got an exceptional team of lawyers that win in court."
When asked by Guthrie if he believes he can take DiGenova to court for his comments, Krebs refused to go into detail. Guthrie attempted to press him on the matter by pointing out that this is not the first time Krebs has received death threats. She asked if he was worried about his own safety.
"You know, I'm not going to give them the benefit of knowing how I'm reacting to this,” Krebs answered. "They can know that there are things coming, though."
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DiGenova said comments were "sarcastic and made in jest"
After learning of Krebs' threat to take legal action, the Trump campaign lawyer has since walked back his remarks.
In a statement distributed on Tuesday by the Trump campaign, DiGenova said, "For anyone listening to the Howie Carr Show, it was obvious that my remarks were sarcastic and made in jest. I, of course, wish Mr. Krebs no harm. This was hyperbole in a political discourse."
DiGenova's remarks have been met with condemnation. The Government Accountability Project, a whistleblower group, warned that threats similar to those made by DiGenova may "trigger an avalanche" of violent rhetoric.
Former deputy director of CISA, Matt Travis, said that DiGenova was nothing but "a small man with a small mind and a bad mustache."
"It's egregious, loss of words for just how absurd and offensive those comments are," said Travis. "We certainly never expected CISA, its mission, its people, to be under attack like this and I hope it ends soon. I hope Mr. DiGenova takes back those words, apologizes and recognizes that maybe the hot lights of the studio got to him.
Even White House officials have weighed in on the matter. Communications Director Alyssa Farah told reporters that DiGenova's statement was "wildly inappropriate."
Learn more about the team behind the Trump campaign's many election-related lawsuits as well as their progress by reading the latest articles at VoteFraud.news.
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