A Republican congresswoman from upstate New York who is up for re-election has sparked controversy after she suggested that ‘many people’ who commit mass murders are Democrats.
US Rep Claudia Tenney made the controversial remarks on Wednesday during an appearance on Talk 1300 Radio while discussing the February 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 people dead.
‘Yeah, well, obviously there is a lot of politics in it, and it’s interesting that so many of these people that commit the mass murders end up being Democrats, but the media doesn’t talk about that either,’ Tenney told talk show host Fred Dicker without providing evidence to support he claims.
US Rep Claudia Tenney has sparked controversy after saying that ‘many people’ who commit mass murders are Democrats
Tenney, who represents upstate New York, made the comments while discussing the Florida school shooting on February 14 that left 17 people dead
Former student Nikolsa Cruz, 19, was identified as the gunman. He’s been arraigned on 17 counts of premeditated murder
Tenney was responding to a point made by Dicker that the majority of gun victims come from the inner cities, not in mass shootings.
Many Democrats who will be running against Tenney quickly responded to her comment.
Democratic state Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi tweeted: ‘First, (Tenney) said Democrats are un-American. Now this. This toxic rhetoric is shameful and a new low even for Ms. Tenney. Inserting politics into a national tragedy is beyond the pale & disgusting. She should apologize now to spare our region any more national embarrassment.
Evan Lukaske, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Tenney demonstrated ‘how completely unfit she is to serve in Congress.’
‘Tenney’s comments are unhinged, shameful and disgusting, and show why voters will replace her next November,’ he said.
Tenney responded to the backlash saying her comments were taken out of context and were made in response to a question about the failure to prosecute illegal gun crimes.
Tenney said her comments were taken out of context and were made in response to a question about the failure to prosecute illegal gun crimes
‘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,’ she said. ‘While we know the perpetrators of these atrocities have a wide variety of political views, my comments are in response to a question about the failure to prosecute illegal gun crime. I will continue to stand up for law-abiding citizens who are smeared by anti-gun liberal elitists.’
Tenney was first elected in 2016. Her district covers a large swath of central New York including the cities of Binghamton, Utica and Rome.