Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. commented Tuesday on Fox News that President Barack Obama encouraged the rioting that followed the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Mo. Credit: Kristyna Wentz-Graff

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Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. is suggesting that President Barack Obama encouraged rioting in Ferguson, Mo., in the wake of a grand jury's decision Monday not to file criminal charges in the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown.

Clarke made the comment in an interview Tuesday afternoon on Fox News' "Your World with Neil Cavuto."

"When I heard the president call for calm after the rioting started, I questioned his sincerity because some of his political strategy of divide and conquer fuels this sort of racial animosity between people," Clarke said. "And so, I think when he called for calm after the rioting started, I believe it was done with a wink and a nod."

Cavuto did not follow up on the comment.

Attorneys for Brown's family vowed Tuesday to push for federal charges against Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who killed the unarmed 18-year-old. They also renewed calls for peace following a night of violent protests in which several businesses burned to the ground.