WASHINGTON — Michigan U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin tangled online with conservatives angry over her remarks last week about holding Trump officials accountable for corruption and specifically her suggestion that such moves might dissuade young graduates from going to work for the administration.

A clip of her remarks circulating on social media prompted some threatening language in response, including from one ally of President Donald Trump who said, if Slotkin tried to do such a thing, she would "learn about the the Second Amendment, sweetheart."

The back-and-forths were prompted by Slotkin's comments at the University of Chicago last week, where she said that Democrats' pursuing "signature cases" against people who "enabled" Trump might prompt young, prospective employees leaving school to reconsider going to work for the Trump administration.

"I want them to be like, 'Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, and so let me avoid participating in that,'" she said. "I want that deterrence message."

The clip circulating on social media cuts journalist Astead Herndon's question that Slotkin was responding to on stage at the university about whether impeachment should be a focus for a potentially incoming Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. She never mentioned prosecution for staffers or prospective staffers in the exchange.

But conservative lawyer and provocateur Mike Davis responded to Slotkin on social media with a veiled threat and saying what she was suggesting was "fascist" techniques to intimidate political opponents.

"If @ElissaSlotkin deploys these fascist tactics, like illegal arrests and political persecutions to intimidate young Americans with opposing views, she will learn why we have the Second Amendment," wrote Davis, who is founder and president of a group called the Article III Project. "F--- her and her CIA tactics."

Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat and one-time CIA analyst, in response said Davis was effectively calling for her to be shot and accused him of "mobilizing death threats against me and my staff for sport."

"This shouldn’t be controversial: if you aid in stealing taxpayer money or directing it to enrich President Trump or his family, then you should be held accountable for that crime. That’s what I said, and I stand by it," Slotkin posted Monday in response to Davis.

"We know most Republican politicians are desperate to change the topic from their failing agenda. That’s how this kind of coordinated right-wing media play works. The threats and intimidation — of me, my staff, and my family — are the point of this kind of play. This dude and so many others are just hoping that we'll shut up in response. Not going to happen."

Davis countered by repeating his Second Amendment statement a third time: "Listen, sweetheart. You’re not the victim. You explicitly called for prosecutions of Trump officials — to deter young conservatives from public service. This is textbook fascism. This is why we have the Second Amendment. Go f--- yourself."

Slotkin for over a year has warned about the Trump administration following a "predictable" authoritarian playbook by, for example, trying to influence the November elections through such efforts as canceling mail-in voting or trying to get copies of voting rolls. Earlier this year, she said the president was trying to "weaponize the government" to silence her by trying to have her indicted over a social media video about "illegal orders" to the military.

Michigan U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain of Bruce Township, who served with Slotkin in the House, called it "incredibly disturbing" that a sitting U.S. senator would openly admit that she wants to use the threat of prosecution "to scare young Americans out of public service and politics if they dare work for the wrong side."

"Tell me again who's running the authoritarian playbook," McClain wrote on X.com.

Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor, accused Slotkin of saying "the quiet part out loud."

"She intends to unleash a slew of investigations to deter young people from even considering supporting the Administration ... if they know what is good for them," Turley wrote on X.

U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, also slammed Slotkin's remarks, saying it was "disgraceful to threaten young Americans for participating in politics and serving their country."

Slotkin responded by accusing Lee of "manufactured outrage" and of "lying" about what she said in the video clip.

She also criticized the "pearl clutching" coming from Republican members of Congress and "online MAGA grifters" who cheer on Trump's weaponization of the government against those he doesn't like, pointing to the Department of Justice's investigation and attempt to indict her.

"If you have aided in the corrupt use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to benefit the President or his family, or you have violated the law in order to carry out guidance from the President, you should be held accountable," Slotkin wrote in response to Lee.

"And given how rampant that corruption appears to the average American, people looking to work for his Administration should realize that while the Supreme Court has granted the President immunity, it has not done the same for those who do illegal things at his behest."

Scott Kupor, director of the office that manages the federal government’s civilian workforce, called Slotkin’s comments "disappointing and unprofessional."

"This is incredibly disappointing and unprofessional coming from a U.S. senator — endorsing political prosecutions to dissuade patriotic Americans from serving their country," Kupor wrote on X. "In contrast, we at OPM believe in recruiting the best and brightest early-career prospects."

_____

©2026 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.