Conservative outlet Townhall is railing against Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) for “caving to liberal media pressure,” and giving democrats a win by backtracking his comments about a local Minnesota politician’s murder.
On Sunday, Minnesota State Congresswoman Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in their home when the assailant claimed he was a police officer and said there was a shooting reported in the home.
The shooter then went on to shoot and injure State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Both Hoffman and Hortman are Democrats.
“This is what happens when Marxists don’t get their way,” Lee posted on X with a photo of the shooter from his personal account, @basedmikelee. (Lee’s official account condemned the violence.)
In another post, he said, “Nightmare on Waltz Street.”
Lee also commented on alleged photos of the shooting suspects' alleged car, which had “No Kings” protest content inside. “Marxism is a deadly mental illness,” the Senator wrote.
Senior Editor Matt Vespa admits Lee’s tweets were not his best moment, but then ripped the Senator apart for the reversal. “The uproar [from the left media] was beyond manufactured.”
He added, “It was another way for Democrats to get something of a win amid their powerlessness to stop the Trump administration, only unelected, rogue district judges are doing the undemocratic work of placing obstacles in front of the administration.”
The three posts were later deleted. Lee declined to comment to the Washington Post on the social media post.
Vespa railed against the left for the deletion, “Lee should’ve known better: when the Democrats demand you do something, don’t do it.”
“Who cares about what they say?” Vespa raged, “Who cares about the media pressure—their power is dying. He could’ve weathered the storm.”
The senior editor then went on to permit Lee’s post based on the left’s reaction to a different high-profile shooting. “They weren't the most sensitive posts, but it was nothing compared to the ga-ga reactions the Left had when Luigi Mangione assassinated a healthcare CEO.”