Dem rep rips Trump: ‘Isn’t this how book burning begins?’

Less than an hour after President-elect Donald Trump berated CNN and BuzzFeed for reporting what he called “fake news,” Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) took to Twitter to suggest the president-elect’s words represent a slippery slope to “book burning.”

“CNN is ‘disgraceful.’ BuzzFeed is a ‘failing pile of garbage. He invokes Nazi Germany… but isn’t this how book burning begins?” Schiff tweeted, referencing a previous tweet by Trump regarding a report that Russia has compromising information on him.

CNN is “disgraceful.” Buzzfeed is a “failing pile of garbage.” He invokes Nazi Germany… but isn’t this how book burning begins?

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 11, 2017

Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to “leak” into the public. One last shot at me.Are we living in Nazi Germany?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

He followed up with another tweet that labeled members of the intelligence community “PATRIOTS!”

.@realDonaldTrump comparing the Intelligence Community to Nazi Germany. A new low. These men and woman who serve our country are PATRIOTS!

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 11, 2017

Speaking Wednesday at his first press conference since being elected president, Trump lambasted CNN for reporting Tuesday night that he was briefed by intelligence officials on an unverified dossier alleging that the Russians had gathered compromising information on him. 

{mosads}Though CNN reported that the memos had not been confirmed, Trump dismissed CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s attempts to ask a question at the press conference, calling the news network “terrible.”

“Don’t be rude,” Trump told Acosta as he attempted to ask a question. “No, I’m not going to give you a question. You are fake news.”

Trump has frequently turned his ire on the press, calling reporters “dishonest” and criticizing specific news organizations that critically report on him as “failing.” He has also suggested that as president, he would “open up” libel laws to make it easier to sue news organizations.