Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is facing blistering criticism for a series of inflammatory social media posts responding to the shootings of Minnesota lawmakers Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman and their spouses.
The shootings, allegedly carried out by Vance Boelter, killed Hortman and her husband and left Hoffman and his wife hospitalized.
Democratic leaders in Minnesota and others condemned Lee’s rhetoric, which included referring to the violence as “what happens … when Marxists don’t get their way” and a meme captioned “Nightmare on Waltz Street,” a misspelled attack on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“This is the watershed moment where things need to change,” said Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn, calling Lee’s rhetoric “dangerous and harmful.”
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., confronted Lee directly in the Capitol, telling him: “You need to take responsibility and accountability for what you are saying and doing out there in the social media world.”
Smith later told Brian Tyler Cohen she had to “chase after him a bit” and that Lee appeared stunned by the confrontation. “I wanted him to hear from me directly how painful that was,” the senator said to CNN. “This is not a joke.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar D-Minn., said she also planned to confront Lee. “There was no Father’s Day for [Hortman’s] children,” she said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “This is not a laughing matter, and certainly what we are seeing in increasing violence and this evil man who did this, this is not a joke.”
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“Senator Lee’s heinous lies have only made the pain that Melissa’s loved ones and colleagues are going through even worse,” added Richard Carlbom, chair of Minnesota’s Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, in a statement to Utah News Dispatch. “Using Melissa’s murder to spread these lies is an act of evil that will cement his legacy as one of the most dishonorable senators in American history.”
Comedian Jon Stewart joined in on The Daily Show on Monday night, recounting a past meeting with Lee during advocacy for 9/11 first responders. After an NYPD officer recounted surviving the towers' collapse, Stewart recalled Lee responding, “Hah, I bet you’ve got a lot of stories.” The group left the office asking, “What the f**k is wrong with that guy?” Stewart said.
Vance Boelter, the suspected gunman, was arrested Sunday following what officials described as the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. He is charged with murder and attempted murder. Police say Boelter maintained a “hit list” of Democratic elected officials.
Lee's office did not respond to requests for comment.
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