Congressman brags about offing 'crazy raccoon' with Desert Eagle

WASHINGTON -- Republican Congressman Steve King of Iowa says he doesn't take kindly to raccoons trying to take shelter in his home.

The minute King noticed a raccoon trying to weasel into his house last week, he grabbed his semi-automatic gun and chased the fleeing creature out into a deadly Iowa storm, firing away.

Clearly proud of what he did, he then posted this self-congratulatory message on Twitter: "Mid day, mid blizzard, 15 degrees, Crazy Raccoon chewing and clawing his way into my house. Desert Eagle 1, Crazy Raccoon zero."

Doubling down on his accomplishment, King this week told the Roll Call's "Heard On The Hill" his Desert Eagle was "the one I had handy" and said he refused to tolerate "an animal that might be sick, might be rabid, out there."

The Desert Eagle is a deadly gas-operated semi-automatic handgun that's capable of firing .50 Action Express caliber round bullets. "That’s one very dangerous firearm," said Ken MacKay, a police officer, of the weapon.

"That’s just what has to happen when you live out here in the country," King said of his momentary escapade, suggesting he was partly trying to protect his granddaughters.

Blogger Dis Ryan at The Earmark jested, "The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that government has no power to restrict freedom of speech, religion or the press. The second amendment says that if a desperate raccoon chews its way into your house during a blizzard, you’re allowed to blow it to pieces with a $2000 Desert Eagle handgun."

King claimed he saw the same raccoon trying to squeeze its way into his home earlier and worried it may be rabid or dangerous.

"I can’t have a crazy ’coon," King said, Roll Call reported.

"We appreciate the wildlife," he added, seemingly trying to deter accusations that he's an animal-hater, and signaled he hasn't reacted in a similar way when seeing squirrels, rabbits and deer near his house.

Dis Ryan remarked of King's actions, "So to all of you complaining that our congressmen never get anything done, now you know how they’re otherwise occupied: Staying indoors and firing pistols at panicked wildlife."