GOP Congressman 'Regrets' Blaming Democrats' Rhetoric For Virginia Shooting

Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) expressed “regret” for suggesting that Democratic rhetoric about President Donald Trump had inspired a gunman to target Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice on Wednesday morning.

James Hodgkinson, the suspect who allegedly opened fire at the baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, was a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) with a record of violent behavior.

Reacting to the shooting shortly after it occurred on Wednesday morning in an interview on Buffalo, New York’s WBEN radio, Collins identified the “finger-pointing, just the tone and the angst, and the anger directed at Donald Trump, his supporters” as a contributing factor in the rampage.

“I can only hope that the Democrats do tone down the rhetoric,” Collins added.

Later in the day, however, Collins released a statement calling on all sides, rather than just Democrats, to use more careful language.

“It’s time for all of us, including myself, to tone down our rhetoric and recognize that we are all of one country and all proud Americans,” he said.

On Thursday, Collins went further, admitting it had been a mistake to pin the blame on Democrats in the first place.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-congressman-regrets-blaming-democrats-rhetoric-for-virginia-shooting/ar-BBCJHDO?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=edgsp