By Jake Lahut and Negassi Tesfamichael, Politico:
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) lambasted Republicans on Thursday, calling some conservative lawmakers “sanctimonious” for blaming Democrats after Wednesday’s shooting that left House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and several others wounded.
Coming just hours before the bipartisan congressional baseball game, Pelosi was somewhat hesitant when asked by reporters about the criticism of the left, in light of the shooting.
“I don’t even want to go into the president of the United States in terms of the language he has used,” Pelosi said.
Nevertheless, upon a follow-up question, Pelosi cited President Donald Trump’s rhetoric as a problem in the national discourse.
“If the president says, ‘I can shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue and nobody would care,’ when you have somebody say, ‘Beat them up and I’ll pay their legal fees,’ when you have all the assaults that are made on Hillary Clinton,” the California representative said in her weekly news conference. “For them to be so sanctimonious is something that I really am almost sad that I had to go down this path with you because I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to have the fullest discussion of it.”
Many on Capitol Hill have called for unity and a de-escalation of an increasingly hostile political discourse, however some Republicans have focused specifically on blaming Democrats since the shooting.
“I can only hope that the Democrats do tone down the rhetoric,” Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) told WBEN radio station Wednesday. “The rhetoric has been outrageous — the finger-pointing, just the tone and the angst and the anger directed at Donald Trump, his supporters. Really, then, you know, some people react to things like that. They get angry as well. And then you fuel the fires.”
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See related OpsLens content below.
Bipartisan Response to D.C. Shooting Is What the Country Needed
“Everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country…”
In the wake of the horrific act of violence against House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, his aides, and Capitol Police Officers, leaders and political commentators alike have spoken out against the shooting. While this should be the standard for such detestable actions, the unity and solidarity comes at an especially crucial moment for the United States. The political climate has gone from bad to worse. It seems like every day we are reading about a new violent rampage that has taken the lives of Americans. Then finger pointing takes the stage.
I have steered clear from reading gross social media posts in their entirety because I choose not to entertain those who would celebrate such violent acts or place blame on any one party. They don’t deserve the time of day. What has impressed me, however, is the unified front that both Republicans and Democrats have created in denouncing the shooting. This has given the United States a break from all of the combative political rhetoric and has demonstrated the true nature of the American spirit.
After it was reported that the gunman was involved with Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, Sanders released a statement, saying, “I am sickened by this despicable act. Let me be as clear as I can be. Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society, and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms.” Senator Sanders continued to say that real change can only come through nonviolent means, and that “anything else runs against our most deeply held American values.”
Stephen Colbert—who is notoriously anti-Trump—also spoke about the incident at the opening of his show. He thanked President Donald Trump for his response to the shooting and praised leadership across the board for their timely acknowledgement.
The country has become so divided and saturated with hatred, fear, and militant arguments that humanity sometimes seems like an afterthought. The response from our nation’s leadership and cultural figures offers hope to the citizens of the United States and delivers assurance that regardless of which party has the majority, we all bleed red, white, and blue. When one of our own leaders comes under attack, it’s time to come together as a nation to denounce hatred in all of its forms.
President Trump addressed the incident, highlighting the bravery of Capitol Police officers and other first responders. He stated, “Everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country…We can all agree that we are blessed to be Americans, that our children deserve to grow up in a nation of safety and peace, and we are the strongest when we are unified.”
While every citizen may not be a staunch supporter of President Trump, people would be hard-pressed to say that he did not step up to lead the country in the wake of this incident. In times of despair and uncertainty, Americans look to the president for guidance and resolve. President Trump delivered.
Original article by OpsLens Contributor Angelina Newsom.
