Over the weekend, 29 people were killed in mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. While we piece together the details and try to determine the motives of the shooters, several Democratic presidential candidates have already concluded that President Trump is the culprit.
‘What the hell?’ Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke says President Trump’s anti-minority language promotes racial division and violence.
Two mass shootings in the US this weekend left 29 people dead.
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Before he opened fire at an El Paso Wal-Mart, the 21-year-old suspect posted a 2,300-word hateful manifesto on a public forum, accusing immigrants of waging a “Hispanic invasion” of Texas. In an interview with CNN on Monday, Rep. Tim Ryan (R-OH) said the shooter was clearly motivated by President Trump’s words.
“The president needs to take some responsibility for stoking racial sentiment” and “demonizing” immigrants and people of color, Ryan said.
As an example, the congressman cited the president’s infamous line about “shithole countries.”
Ryan said without hesitation that the manifesto “looks like it could have been written by a Trump speechwriter.”
Where have we heard that suggestion before? Oh yes, that featured story on this New York Times.
Ryan said the Republican Party is also to blame because despite having control of Congress, it has failed to pass any significant gun legislation.
“They were there for two years,” he said. “And all we got were tax cuts for the rich? Oh, come on!”
On Monday, Trump suggested tying background checks to immigration reform, a proposal Ryan said was “a joke.”
Trump will address the nation regarding the deadly attacks on Monday at 10:00 a.m. ET.
