House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) blasted an Arizona columnist on Friday for suggesting leaders of his state “should be shot” if they don’t change the election state statute to allow for a all-mail-election system in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Scalise, who was shot and injured during a practice for the Annual Congressional Baseball Game, called the columnist’s remarks “dangerous and disgraceful” and demanded “accountability.”
It all started when Democratic political pundit Chris Herstam said in an interview on Arizona PBS, “If we don’t go, the legislature and the governor before they go home this week — If they don’t change the state statute to allow for an all-mail election system for the primary and general election this year, they should be shot, because that’s the only common sense thing to do.”
Herstam, who is also a former state lawmaker, apparently made a similar statement on Twitter, according to AZ Central, and later apologized.
Rep. Scalise uploaded video of Herstam making the remarks, where he warned against the danger of making any kind of call for violence towards government officials.
Video Below
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“Hard to believe someone would call for violence against officials they disagree with during this crisis,” Scalise tweeted. “But that’s what this columnist did—saying the AZ Gov & Legislators ‘should be shot’ if he doesn’t get his way.”
“This is dangerous & disgraceful. There must be accountability,” he declared. Video Below
Rep. Scalise’s Official Tweet
Hard to believe someone would call for violence against officials they disagree with during this crisis.
But that's what this columnist did—saying the AZ Gov & Legislators “should be shot” if he doesn’t get his way.
This is dangerous & disgraceful. There must be accountability. pic.twitter.com/rM6VI9tQ5i
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) March 20, 2020
