Assassinations of Democratic lawmakers,
Senator Lee!! GAG!!
Trump dog whistle politics
This is what comes from Trump whipping up MAGA supporters into a cheering frenzy at rallies and in Truth Social posts that go out to millions of his followers. It turns out that there was at least one follower out there who took Trump seriously enough that he kitted himself out as a policeman or ICE agent, armed himself with a weapon readily available at any gun store, and went out to kill two Democratic Party leaders of the state legislature. - Lucian Truscott
A man dressed in police style gear wearing a badge and face mask shot two Minnesota Democratic Party lawmakers early this morning, killing one of them as well as her husband. It was “an act of targeted political violence,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said this morning. Police reported finding a “manifesto” and a list of individuals to be killed in the suspect’s car, including the names of the two Democratic lawmakers he had shot and other Democrats and state officials, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley. Brooklyn Park is a suburb of Minneapolis.
TakeAway: Hold Trump and MAGA reps RESPONSIBLE for stoking political violence that's destroying American democracy. Senator Mike Lee is one such person with a lot of culpability.
Senator Mike Lee's posted deeply disturbing lies about the assassins in Minnesota
Big Chicken Mike Lee Deletes Minnesota “Joke” After Confrontation
Senator Mike Lee had tried to poke fun at the shooting in Minnesota.
Senator Lee has a history of being a troll
on social media
Since Trump took office, Mike Lee has been posting more on X — especially with Elon Musk
Utah’s senior U.S. senator is posting to Musk’s platform at a pace of every fifteen minutes.
I reviewed many news articles and also consulted AI. This summary helped me to understand the situation..
In June 2025, Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) faced widespread condemnation for a series of "false and inflammatory tweets" regarding the assassinations of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband. These tweets, posted on his personal X account (@BasedMikeLee), were seen as mocking the tragedy and baselessly blaming Democrats and "Marxist" ideology for the violence.
Here's a detailed summary of the events and the ensuing criticism:
**The Incident:**
* On Saturday, June 14, Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot in their home. State Senator John Hoffman (D) and his wife, Yvette, were also shot and injured in a separate incident. The alleged gunman, Vance Boelter, was later apprehended.
* Police investigations, including statements from Boelter's former roommate, indicated he was a "Trump supporter" who listened to conservative media. A "hit list" of approximately 70 names, predominantly Democratic politicians, doctors, and Planned Parenthood clinics, was found in his vehicle.
**Senator Lee's Tweets:**
* Shortly after the suspect was identified, Senator Lee began speculating about his political alignment.
* He posted: "My guess: He's not MAGA," seemingly attempting to distance Trump's supporters from the violence.
* He shared a post accusing "the left" of being a "full-blown domestic terrorist organization" and stating, "Marxism kills. Americans must reject it — always."
* Lee pinned a tweet to his profile that read: "Marxism is a deadly mental illness. This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way." This tweet remained pinned until Monday morning.
* In a widely shared post, Lee shared two photos of the suspect with the caption: "Nightmare on Waltz Street," an apparent misspelling and dig at Minnesota's Democratic Governor Tim Walz. This tweet garnered millions of views.
* The timing of these posts was a significant point of criticism, as they were made within hours of the tragic deaths.
**The Condemnation:**
* **Democratic Politicians:**
* **Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)** vehemently condemned Lee's posts, stating, "This isn't funny" and emphasizing the profound loss for the victims' families. She indicated she would speak to Lee directly upon her return to Washington.
* The **Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party** called Lee's actions "evil and vile" and accused him of "using Speaker Hortman's murder to spread right-wing lies."
* **Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)** and **Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)** revealed they were on the gunman's list, underscoring the severity of the targeted attacks.
* **National Commentators and Public Figures:**
* Hosts of **"The View"**, including Whoopi Goldberg and Sara Haines, blasted Lee for mocking the political assassination and suggesting a baseless conspiracy theory. Haines stated that Lee would be "fired instantly" in any other job for such comments, criticizing the lack of accountability for politicians.
* Numerous individuals on social media, including political commentators and former politicians, called Lee's tweets "truly disgusting," "depraved," "gross," and a reflection of "moral rot." Many called for his resignation or a public apology.
* Critics highlighted the "casual cruelty" and "selective outrage" of Lee's posts, noting his swift condemnation of a protester's image targeting President Trump, in contrast to his reaction to the actual violence against Democrats.
* **Lack of Evidence and Contradictory Information:** Critics pointed out that Lee's claims of Marxist motivation for the shooter were entirely baseless and contradicted by reports from the alleged gunman's own circle, who identified him as a Trump supporter.
* **Erosion of Civility and Empathy:** The overall sentiment of the condemnation was that Lee's actions contributed to a dangerous political climate, lacking basic empathy and decency in the face of tragedy. Many expressed concern about the "dehumanization of the other" in political discourse and the perceived normalization of political violence.
In summary, Senator Mike Lee's tweets regarding the Minnesota assassinations were widely condemned for their insensitivity, their attempts to shift blame, and their promotion of unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. The backlash highlighted deep concerns about political polarization, the spread of disinformation, and the ethical responsibilities of elected officials in times of national tragedy.
Please also see: https://www.csis.org/analysis/escalating-terrorism-problem-united-states
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/briefing/right-wing-mass-shootings.html
The recurring Daily Show host explained how, when he was trying to extend the 9/11 victim compensation fund in 2019, he’d had a meeting with an apathetic Mike Lee.
“All these first responders are going around the table,” Stewart explained, “And they are sharing their stories to try and get Senator Mike Lee to support this bill that’s gonna provide life-saving coverage and money to the victims of this terrible terrorist attack.”
Stewart continued, “When the one cop says his story about being in the tower that collapsed and the aftermath, when he told Senator Lee about that experience, Senator Lee smiled and said, ‘Ha, I bet you’ve got a lot of stories.’”
“We met a lot of people in Washington,” Stewart continued, “That was the only meeting where we all walked out and looked at each other and went, ‘What the f--- is wrong with that guy?’ The only one."
Violence by the right wing is increasing in the US. Many truth-based fact-checked discussions exist. Here are a few:
- Despite these changes, the overall threat of domestic terrorism, including right-wing extremism, remains a concern. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has documented a significant number of domestic terror incidents by right-wing extremists.
- A database focused on domestic terrorism, previously supported by the Department of Homeland Security, was recently removed from the START consortium for terrorism research's website.
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