GOP lawmaker: Murders plotted by Muslims just as bad as murders committed by racists

A Republican lawmaker strongly rejected the comparison between white supremacist killers and Muslim terrorists.

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) rebuked the New York Times for reporting last week, after a white supremacist gunned down nine black churchgoers in South Carolina, that homegrown right-wing extremists had killed more Americans than Islamic militants since 2002, reported The Hill.

“Every murder is horrible,” King told ABC’s “This Week.” “There is no comparison between these white supremacists and an internationally coordinated movement which, if the attacks were not stopped, we could have thousands and thousands of deaths.”

The lawmaker pointed to the Homeland Security warning about the possibility of terrorist attacks this week related to the Fourth of July holiday and argued that the Boston Marathon bombing and other, thwarted attacks showed that Muslim extremists were a greater threat than homegrown terrorists.

“Just seven years ago, the attempted subway attacks here in New York would have killed hundreds, if not thousands, of people, if that were not intercepted,” King said.

He accused the newspaper of politicizing the Charleston massacre.

“Everything should be investigated, everything should be stopped,” King said. “But to compare these deranged white supremacists with an organized international terrorist movement -- that's the New York Times at its worst.”

Watch King's remarks posted online by ABC News: