Reprinted with permission from Shareblue.com
New York Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney was caught blaming Democrats for mass shootings, and when she was asked for proof, she claimed the media and liberals were out to get her and fellow NRA supporters.
During a talk radio show on WGDJ discussing gun rights and the Parkland shooting, Tenney, who represents upstate New York and won an A rating and endorsement from the NRA in her last election, made a bizarre claim.
“It’s interesting that so many of these people that commit the mass murders end up being Democrats,” she said. “The media doesn’t talk about that.”
CNN contacted Tenney’s office and asked for sourcing for this claim. She issued a non-apology that acknowledged “perpetrators of these atrocities have a wide variety of political views.”
Nevertheless, she said, “I am fed up with the media and liberals attempting to politicize tragedies and demonize law-abiding gun owners and conservative Americans every time there is a horrible tragedy.”
This is an interesting complaint, given the whole controversy began with her claiming the opposing political party is driving mass shootings.
While it is unclear where exactly Tenney got this claim, various memes asserting mass shooters are mostly Democrats have been circulating for years. Snopes.com methodically demolished it as an internet hoax, noting that most mass shooters’ political parties are unknown, and that few shootings are politically motivated.
That aside, the GOP has repeatedly blocked action on gun laws that have worked in other countries, despite the overwhelming majority of Americans — and Republican voters — who support it.
Tenney cares more about appeasing the NRA than she does about facts or basic decency. And she should rethink her priorities if she wishes to remain in public office.
