“The man suspected of opening fire on Republican members of the congressional baseball team early Wednesday morning was distraught over the election of President Trump and traveled to Washington in recent weeks to protest, his brother said on Wednesday,” Nicholas Fandos reports for The New York Times. “The suspect, James Thomas Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Ill., died in a Washington hospital after a shootout with the police.”
Hodgkinson showered the field with bullets that struck five people, including Steve Scalise, the majority whip of the House of Representatives.
“‘I know he wasn’t happy with the way things were going, the election results and stuff,’ his brother, Michael Hodgkinson, said in a telephone interview shortly after he received the news on Wednesday,” Fandos reports. “Social media accounts that appear to be affiliated with Mr. Hodgkinson show a man deeply connected to liberal politics and distrustful of Republican-controlled Washington. In posts, he rails against Republicans, lavishes praise upon Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the one-time presidential candidate, and shows a deep engagement with churn of news coming out of Washington.”
“Mr. Hodgkinson’s Facebook page was filled with references to Mr. Sanders, who lost the Democratic primary nomination to Hillary Clinton but has remained active in calling for Democrats to endorse more progressive policies,” Fandos reports. “In late March, the sheriff responded to a report of man firing dozens of shots near Mr. Hodgkinson’s home. When authorities arrived, they found Mr. Hodgkinson and advised him not to shoot in the area. An incident report indicates that he presented a valid firearms owner identification card.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to the shooting via Twitter:
Saddened by the terrifying events in Virginia. Our prayers are with all those affected. Such violence has no place in America – or anywhere.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 14, 2017
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: U.S. President Trump earlier delivered a statement from the White House Diplomatic Room calling for unity after the tragic Virginia shooting this morning:
Transcript of the Statement by President Trump on the Shooting in Virginia:
As you all know, shortly after 7:00 a.m. this morning, a gunman opened fire on members of Congress and their staffs as they were practicing for tomorrow’s annual charity baseball game.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the crime, and the assailant has now died from his injuries. The FBI is leading the investigation and will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.
Congressman Steve Scalise, a member of House leadership, was shot and badly wounded, and is now in stable condition at the hospital, along with two very courageous Capitol Police officers. At least two others were also wounded.
Many lives would have been lost if not for the heroic actions of the two Capitol Police officers who took down the gunman despite sustaining gunshot wounds during a very, very brutal assault.
Melania and I are grateful for their heroism and praying for the swift recovery of all victims.
Congressman Scalise is a friend, and a very good friend. He’s a patriot and he’s a fighter. He will recover from this assault. And, Steve, I want you to know that you have the prayers not only of the entire city behind you, but of an entire nation and, frankly, the entire world. America is praying for you and America is praying for all of the victims of this terrible shooting.
I spoke with Steve’s wife, Jennifer, and I pledged to her our full and absolute support — anything she needs. We are with her and with the entire Scalise family.
I have also spoken with Chief Matthew Verderosa — he’s doing a fantastic job — of the Capitol Police to express our sympathies for his wounded officers and to express my admiration for their courage. Our brave Capitol Police perform a challenging job with incredible skill, and their sacrifice makes democracy possible.
We also commend the brave first responders from Alexandria Police, Fire and Rescue who rushed to the scene. Everyone on that field is a public servant — our courageous police, our congressional aides who work so tirelessly behind the scenes with enormous devotion, and our dedicated members of Congress who represent our people.
We may have our differences, but we do well, in times like these, to remember that everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country.
We can all agree that we are blessed to be Americans, that our children deserve to grow up in a nation of safety and peace, and that we are strongest when we are unified and when we work together for the common good.
Please take a moment today to cherish those you love, and always remember those who serve and keep us safe. God bless them all, God bless you, and God Bless America.
Thank you.
Hodgkinson certainly felt the bern today.
I do appreciate him having a valid firearms owner ID card, though. It diffuses the stupid gun-grabbers before they go off yet again with their illogical nonsense.
“Seems a little odd/icky if you ask me.”
agreed.
Stop banging your head, all I hear is “Doosh!”
Are you trying to say something?
…remember this classic from The Mayor Of Caracas?
Thanks for that. The shoe is indeed on the other foot.
The NEW HATE rhetoric comes from the media fanning flames, the used clueless protesting snowflakes, Libtard comedians and empty celebrities and lastly some unhinged members of the Washington Democrat Party.
The NEW HATE groups need to be stopped …
This guy has become a Hillbot after Bernard was defrauded in the primaries.
Thus people should not connect the guy with Bernard, bur rather with Hillary.
Bernie immediately and unambiguously condemned the gunman’s actions.
gee, how noble.
He practices what he preaches.
lol, yeah he does…he took his pay-off after The Clot robbed him of the nomination and he sold-out “backing our nominee.” He has since purchased two summer homes. A somewhat different lifestyle than the starving citizens of socialist Venezuela whose economic system he so “nobly” advocates.
The annual salary for a US senator is $174,000/per year.
Crunch the numbers, Mr. Wizard.
Show evidence for his promotion of Venezuelan socialism or you argument is BS regardless of the fact that it is clearly off-topic.
It seems icky for me for CEOs to tell states they are evil for trying to keep grown men out of the Ladies room where little girls are trying to pee in private.
OK. So, let us look at it this way. Take a look at this guy:
What you want is this guy to be forced to go into the bathroom together with your little girl.
If you don’t know who it is, his name is Chaz Bono. His birth certificate says Chastity Bono (sex: female), but right now, he looks like a man, thinks like a man, behaves like a man, and I’m sure every single woman out there would be quite uncomfortable to see him walk into the ladies room. But the insane laws that you seem to be supporting would force him to go into the ladies room.
Never mind this woman:
She would be required to go to the bathroom with men. She can’t even pee standing up anymore (that part that she was born with, that allowed her to do that, she no longer has).
Your law is clearly designed to force such women into men’s rooms, so that they can be further humiliated (as if they aren’t getting enough humiliation and discrimination already).
You can’t change your chromosomes.
These are simply examples of future cancer sufferers after being unnaturally pumped full of testosterone/estrogen and only God knows what else to imitate whatever image their mental illness (gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder (GID)) is manifesting.
We aren’t debating that.
Would you be OK to send your daughter into the bathroom with that man above?
That’s because there is no debate.
I don’t want my daughter or any other young woman to be exposed to grown men in a restroom …
But with your law, that man in the picture will be forced into the bathroom with your daughter (or any other young woman). He was born with a vagina. Are you sure you’d want him (and other men like him) in the women’s bathroom?
My point is crystal clear …
So, can you answer with a crystal clear answer (YES or NO), the question:
Do you want a law that will force the person in the picture above (and other persons like him, who look, think and behave like men) in to the women’s bathroom, with your daughter (or any other woman)? There is only one way to answer this question: YES or NO. Any other answer is a weasel-out politician double-speak.
For dense weasels like you, I have stated my position quote crystal clear on the bathroom issue …
No, I totally get your position. I just wanted to make sure others on this forum are quite clear.
You want the persons like the one pictured above (looking, thinking, behaving like a man) forced into the same bathroom as your daughter. Because that person, while looking, thinking and behaving like a man, isn’t, by your definition, a man, because when he was born, he had a vagina.
I don’t want my daughters in the same bathroom as that man above. And I’m sure that the man above would much rather use men’s room. And no law will ever make me allow such a man into the same bathroom with my daughters.
“You want the persons like the one pictured above (looking, thinking, behaving like a man) forced into the same bathroom as your daughter.”
I want? 😡
What I want is for you to go away Libtard straw man …
You are apparently confused about the meaning of ‘strawman argument’.
You argue in favour of law allowing people into the bathroom according to the gender on their birth certificate. Correct me if I’m wrong and you are against such law.
If I’m not wrong, and you are in favour of such law, then obviously, you would want to send a man from the photo above into woman’s bathroom, and NOT men’s bathroom.
I want them forced into mental health facilities before they find evil/confused doctors that will agree to mutilate them/pump them full of cancer-causing hormones. They can use the fucking bathrooms there until their psychological issues are rectified.
That’s never going to happen. Men like this exist today, and more will exist tomorrow. Even if by some miracle some law outlaws sex change surgery or treatment in the US, it will remain legal north of the border, as well as elsewhere, and people like the man in the picture will eventually come to the US.
So, once again: DO you want to force a man like that into the ladies bathroom, with your daughter (or any other woman)?
The answer to this question can only be simple yes or no.
I went through an FBI background check when I bought my first pistol (S&W 9mm Shield) in November 2016. I was checked out thoroughly and I’m fine. What don’t you understand, Stupid?
He was a nut. Keep the politics out of it.
Absolutely wrong.
I guess you are not aware of the shooter’s detailed voting, viewing, reading, group affiliations and Facebook posts.
I’ll sum it up for you: An EXTREME left-wing lunatic radical that absorbed the NEW HATE MEDIA and acted on it.
This has EVERYTHING to do with politics.
On another note, did you post a comment in the last month complaining about the dangerous great white unwashed? Well, you can start with this Bernie volunteer from the flyover Midwest heartland …
Yup,
Because capital police (read armed presence) was there, it prevented everyone from being killed. We are naked and exposed here in California because of the ridiculous democrat driven laws to disarm us in just about everything. Democrats would rather see us all dead, then be able to defend ourselves.
What you say makes no sense. It wasn’t armed citizens; it was Capitol Police that took care of the gunman. He would have been equally dead in California (or Japan, for that matter).
Yes, the Capitol Police are allowed to carry guns across state lines.
The average U.S. Citizen is not granted the same privilege after background checks and the approved right to carry permits.
Long OVERDUE to right this wrong with Congressional action …
Perhaps too soon to launch into gun control tirades from either side of the fence?
My thoughts are with the victims and their families.
Quite so…and thank you for the sober post.
Did you bother to notice that 99% of the violence is done by the “tolerant” left? Yup, the shooter was a looney lefty. No surprise. The “people” preaching love, unity and understanding are the most violent group in the country.
If gun owners were as violent as anti-gunners say, there would be no anti-gunners!
Actually, 99.74% of all violent crime is committed by Registered Republicans. (See, I can make up ludicrous statistics just as well as you!)
I hear that 100% of violent crimes are committed by violent criminals.
Yes, and you can prove yourself to be an idiot also. Thanks!
True. It would also be a difficult discussion since Illinois has some of the most rigid gun laws in the country.
A Bernie Sanders supporter – “Surprise surprise surprise!”
The Democrats are responsible for this insanity with their vitriolic hyperbole and false claims and chargers.
They better hope the Right side of the aisle doesn’t go off on them – pretty sure they have more guns and ammo…..
Which sitting member of the Senate tweeted in 2016: “Why do we have a Second Amendment? It’s not to shoot deer. It’s to shoot at the government when it becomes tyrannical!”
Hint: It was NOT a Democrat. You can’t say Democrats advocate this violence. They don’t. Most Republicans don’t either. ASSHOLES advocate violence. And being an asshole is non-partisan.
Answer: Rand Paul
bblock: are you aware why the 2nd amendment exists? You seem to imply RPaul’s answer is “screw-ballish, or in someway advocating violence?” If so, your logic is curious at best.
Guns make you safer when there is an imminent threat. This includes an out-of-control government. European, Australians, and disarmed citizens in other countries like China, North Korea, etc. are sitting ducks. They are a controlled populace. They are, in the end, doomed (until the USA saves them from themselves again, of course).
The more regulations imposed, the easier it is for the government to locate and round ’em all up when they feel the need.
The reason for the 2nd amendment is to protect against oppressive government. The ability to shoot criminals in the face is just a side benefit.
The sooner you illogical gun control nuts figure that out, the better.
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
This language has created considerable debate regarding the Amendment’s intended scope. After many decades of precedent, the courts changed the interpretation of the Second Amendment in 2008 to emphasize individual gun ownership rights. However, even that major shift said nothing about “protecting from oppressive government.”
You folks are highly misguided and paranoid in your viewpoints. Naturally, you blame others for the world’s problems when you are one of the problems, yourself.
In English syntax, a comma is used to limit the redundancy of the conjunction “and.” To clarify the Second Amendment for dullards, such as yourself…
“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state and the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
the “paranoia” is yours.
So your version say that, “A well-regulated militia, …, shall not be infringed.”
This makes less sense than to say that, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
Wikipedia includes photographic evidence disproving your claim.
The next question is: what nature of “arms” are allowable? Everything conceivable or are there reasonable limits?
Also, does “the people” mean every single person or just a representative number?
And what about the militia? Its mention could imply that a chosen and “well-regulated” subset of “the people” should be armed and not every person.
just shut up.
I see you are not in the mood for a real debate. Or maybe you are not capable.
I’m in no mood to suffer fools gladly. Have a nice day.
Wow, like I have said, I USED TO think you were smart, Belligerent Asswipe.
He totally has you. Your attempted version is simply gibberish.
“A well-regulated militia, (…….), shall not be infringed.”
Whoa! You really are going senile. If you think your changing commas both clarifies the second amendment and proves your point, your brain is severely fucked. I don’t mean in the sense of I don’t like your opinion; I mean simply in the sense that you are spouting grammatical gibberish and you don’t even know it!
There is not debate. The Federalist Papers and other writings by the Founders makes the 2A perfectly clear.
Definitions at the time there were written:
Well regulated = well trained and well equipment
Militia = all able-bodied men, 18-45 years of age.
Only an idiot would “think” otherwise.
Absolutely! 🔫🇺🇸
You are correct.
Thank the Supreme Court in 2008 for putting to rest finally, after 50 years, the Libtard misinterpretation of militia for the sole purpose of banning the second amendment and the government registering AND taxing a constitutional right …
“This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!”
Adolf Hitler
Chancellor, Germany, 1933
“Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence … from the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable … the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.”
George Washington
First President of the United States
So Botty, since the government has nukes and tanks we should be allowed to have them too?
I don’t oppose a legal means of gun ownership, but not anything on demand by anyone.
Cynic: again, you wander off topic. You love straw-men.
Nothing off topic about it, very straightforward.
Does the 2nd Amendment give me the right to own nukes and tanks?
If the Washington quote is to be taken in the context that Botty used it, then I will need them to fight against a hypothetically aggressive government.
Nukes and tanks are not guranteed rights in the U.S. Constitution, sheesh …
I agree, but they are “arms” are they not? And if we are to stand to a tyrranical government by force (as suggested) shouldn’t the force be commesurate?
In other words 2nd Amendment proponents of the current conservative variety are clueless.
Conservative clueless as to rewrite the second amendment to include your ridiculous addition of nukes and tanks?
Obvious who is clueless …
Nah, let’s just get rid of it
ROTFL laughing …😂
More seriously, where do you draw the line over what’s allowed? And if you have a line, does it invalidate the 2nd?
I’m bored with your numerous baiting posts and more of the same bait and switch tactics as others have pointed out. Your reply to them, crickets … 💤
Let’s make sure every good guy has a gun to stop all those bad guys. Let’s give every new-born baby in the US a certificate good for a free gun on reaching an appropriate age and require only successful completion of a gun safety course. That should solve the problem.
Interesting idea. Possibly incorporate in the new healthcare bill since it is obviously a public health issue.
Stand back, I heard Libtard brains imitating popcorn …
Outstanding! 🇺🇸
It never ceases to amaze me the gun control Democrats with their master’s degrees, still, after all these years not only misinterpret the second amendment, but shut down critical thinking and have not learned lesson 101 from the DICTATORS OF HISTORY … 🔫🤔
Oh, puhleeeze. Both sides have extreme whack jobs and are playing the zero-sum politics of extremism. There have been heinous acts committed by folks of all (and none) persuasions.
Your post is a textbook example of selective perception.
This mentally ill liberal may have lost it completely, but at least he directed his actions at the actual people in power.
Unlike, say, the many cowardly, mentally ill conservatives who commit hate crimes against minorities who have no power at all. Like the knife attack incident in Portland with the white supremacist, who railed against teenage girls. What a shining example of conservative manhood he was.
This is of course no excuse for today’s despicable actions, which Bernie Sanders unequivocally condemned. Just pointing out your raging hypocrisy and misdirected “responsibility”.
you are one sick creep.
Eugene Botvinnik is a troll. Don’t pay any attention to him.
but no answer to what he said bot
I love the script I made that mutes (hides) comments from the most rabid troll here. I know they’re there because of white space between grey lines, but I have no idea what he even said (well, there’s a general idea, but based on past experience it’s never worth reading his specific comments on political threads anyway) 😀 😉 😛
Imagine you are a batshit crazy schizophrenic, then imagine you are a left winger…oh, but I repeat myself.
Eugene Botvinnik is a troll. Don’t pay any attention to him.
Actually the guy was a white supremast, neo-Nazi who supported Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein. Nice of broadbrushing of conservatives as racists.
http://dailycaller.com/2017/05/28/portland-killer-is-an-anti-circumcision-bernie-sanders-supporter/
LOL Sure. Good old armed insurrection. Sure. Clowns.
If you don’t like something “the other side” is doing, the answer for some people seems to be, just kill them. Until that changes, tragedies like this will continue to happen.
Tim Cook is delusional. Violence can’t be wished away and victims of these criminals need to be able to protect themselves.
How is Cook suggesting that the victims should not be able to protect themselves?
By removing the pistol emoji and replacing it with a squirt gun sends the wrong signal.
If Tim censored Apple emojis from citizen users like me, minus user input, not a stretch to imagine him backing gun control efforts.
What has been talked about since the shooting is a House bill to eliminate right to carry restrictions across state lines. From downtown D.C. to either Maryland or Virginia takes 10 minutes depending on your location.
I did not read a Tim tweet supporting the bill, did you?
I’d like to see Tim Cook speak in favor of the 2nd Amendment and conceal carry, because my understanding is that libtards such as Tim Cook think the 2nd Amendment is archaic and concealed carry is abhorrent.
The police do not protect you. They arrest criminals for prosecution and make chalk outline of victims.
I would be pleased to see Tim Cook publically present his concealed carry permit and his life-time membership to NRA.
What about that?
LOL… so my all my white women are saving their piss for you?
damn. I even had to elope when I got married. My ex thought her parents would try to stop us.
You know it’s going to take a lot more to bother me. As a matter of fact, you never will.
Actually you could. Take that stick out of your ass and lick if off and call it clean.
Dylann Roof — nine BLACK victims in a fucking church. Where were you then, First and Belligerent Asswipe? Just one tiny example.
Ongoingly, the majority of the most vitriolic posts here and statements everywhere are predominantly from the right.
American citizens IN the US are in far more danger from right-wing extremists… NOT from people who call themselves progressives or liberals.
“American citizens IN the US are in far more danger from right-wing extremists… NOT from people who call themselves progressives or liberals.”
Obviously you don’t live here and only depend upon the one-sided and biased liberal media for your misinformation.
Agree the church shootings was an attack from the extreme RIGHT. And today you agree the congressional baseball practice shootings was an attack from the extreme LEFT.
Your view regarding right-wing extremists posing the greater threat was for the most part true in the 1950s during the McCarthy era and apexed in the civil rights struggles of the early 1960s.
Your ignorance of American history is obvious again.
In the late 1960s a shift occurred because of the Vietnam War and gave birth to The People’s Liberation Army, Black Panthers, Bill Ayers who formed the radical bombing group Weather Underground in 1969 and others.
I guess you also missed the Shakespeare play remake playing right now in NYC substituting killing Caesar for killing President Trump.
I guess you recently missed the photo from a left loon comedian holding up a blood covered head representing President Trump beheaded — ISIS style.
I guess in January you missed Madonna speaking to the crowd at the women’s march in DC to wild applause, “yes, I have thought a lot about blowing up the White House.”
I could go on and on, but the point is made: EXTREMIST LEFT-WING is the NEW HATE!
This is not a surprise since left-wing extremists have been preaching REVOLUTION since day one. And not all their methods are legal, hence the tolerant Berkeley protesters and the Baltimore riots where no one was assaulted by mobs and zero property damage, right?
Denial is not a river in Egypt, Sean …
geo… LOL.
I lived what you pretend to know. You do not speak for us.
GoeB… What was it your boy said? Can’t quote exactly. Something like, “Well if “she” gets elected, maybe some 2nd ammendment supporters can take care of that. You know what I mean. You know what I mean.”
If you care to dispute, I can go get the exact words.
Drumpf is way, way, way past the point where the frothing ignorati were screaming, “Lock her up”. Her shady dealings were tiny and amateurish compared to this guy and the rest of his crew.
The second amendment quote is open to the mother lode of interpretation. I can detail a dozen interpretations left and right …
No. it. is. not. It was a direct encouragement for someone to kill Clinton if she gets elected. Shut up geo.
hey geo… did you get extra for this cut and paste. It’s like 10 grades above your usual idiocy.
Yep.
I don’t have any intention to speak for CLUELESS CITIZEN ZERO and his non-tolerant ILK.
Your left-extremist posts and others you support already SPEAK VOLUMES.
But as usual, give you credit you did not disappoint BRAINLESS … 😆
Well, your handlers gave you much to say. All of it vomit, but what do I expect to come out of your mouth.
You’re new around here, at least in name only, but I like the way you think.
Tim Cook should embrace the 2nd Amendment and more importantly, right to carry laws across state lines after training and background checks.
It is time and long OVERDUE we arm all law abiding citizens to defend themselves.
Tim is a fan of freedoms, so let’s cross our fingers he does not cherry pick pandering to Libtard views …