A Pennsylvania state lawmaker who calls himself a “decarceration person” says he’d make one big exception: locking up what he calls “lawless MAGA thugs.”
Quick Take
- State Rep. Chris Rabb, a self-described socialist Democrat from Pennsylvania, said he opposes mass incarceration but wants an exception for “lawless MAGA thugs.”
- Rabb made the remarks during an interview with commentator Wajahat Ali, admitting the stance could look “hypocritical.”
- He compared the idea to jailing Jared Kushner while contrasting it with mothers he says face jail for switching school districts.
- Rabb’s official record shows him pushing to end mandatory life sentences and repeal the death penalty in Pennsylvania.
- Critics, including scholars who study prison abolition, warn that carving out political enemies for punishment undercuts the case against mass incarceration itself.
Lawmaker Calls For Exception To His Own Anti-Incarceration Stance
Pennsylvania state Representative Chris Rabb told podcast host Wajahat Ali that he believes mass incarceration is “morally wrong.” But he quickly added a carve-out. “I will make an exception for all of those f—ers who are lawless MAGA thugs,” Rabb said. “Lock all of those f—ers up.”
Rabb didn’t stop at insults. He said the group he wants jailed has “destroyed lives and communities,” framing the exception as a matter of fairness rather than simple anger. He also acknowledged the tension in his own position, saying, “I know that seems a little hypocritical of me being on the left and being anti-incarceration, but lock those f—ers up.”
Comparing Kushner To Mothers Changing School Districts
Rabb pointed to a specific example to explain his thinking. He argued that if mothers can face jail time for changing school districts so their kids get a better education, then people like Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and former White House adviser, “should be experiencing some jail time” too.
That comparison is the clearest look at Rabb’s reasoning. He’s not just venting. He’s arguing that the legal system already punishes ordinary people harshly while letting powerful political figures walk free. It’s an argument many Americans, on the left and right, have made about the justice system for years, even if his target list and language are partisan.
Legislative Record Shows Broader Reform Push
Rabb’s day job backs up at least part of his anti-incarceration claim. Pennsylvania House records show him pushing to repeal the state’s death penalty and end mandatory life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder. In his own words, sentencing should reflect “individual culpability” instead of a “one-size-fits-all punishment.”
Nothing in that official record mentions a political carve-out for “MAGA thugs.” That gap matters. It means the exception Rabb described to Ali appears to be a personal, off-the-cuff position rather than a formal policy he’s introduced as legislation. Whether it reflects genuine intent or heated rhetoric remains unclear, since Rabb’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why The Contradiction Draws Fire From Both Sides
Scholars who study prison abolition have long warned against exactly this kind of exception. Harvard philosopher Tommie Shelby has argued that giving the state the power to imprison is dangerous because that power “can be very easily misused” against political enemies, no matter who holds it.
That warning cuts both ways. Conservatives see a lawmaker ready to jail people simply for their politics. Progressives who favor decarceration see a colleague undermining their own argument by picking and choosing who deserves mercy. Both reactions point to the same worry driving public frustration today: that justice in America increasingly depends on which side of the political line someone stands on.
Rabb’s remarks landed during a moment when trust in government and the legal system is already shaky across the political spectrum. A lawmaker openly saying he’d suspend his own principles to punish political opponents, even as a half-joking aside, feeds concerns that elected officials treat the law as a tool for scoring points rather than a standard applied equally to everyone.
Sources:
foxnews.com, pahouse.com, x.com, noticias.foxnews.com
