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Politico
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Mike Lee's church isn't happy with his posts
Mike Lee (R-Utah) set off a backlash in the wake of the murder of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, when he issued social media posts blaming the killings on 'Marxists' and suggesting that Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had something to do with it. His mentions overflowed with calls for him to resign, and both Minnesota senators gave him an earful. Washington and X were not the only places that took notice. In Salt Lake City, senior leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which Lee is perhaps the most prominent member currently serving in politics, were concerned about how the insensitive posts would reflect on the church itself — and they started to discuss how to respond. 'As extreme as the situation was, the issue at the center of the firestorm was nothing new,' writes Samuel Benson in this week's Friday Read. 'For two-and-a-half years, Lee has been sliding deeper and deeper into a hyper-online echo chamber.' For the first four months of this year, he posted about 100 times per day, or once every 15 minutes. Lee's social media presence has won him a major far-right online following. 'But for Lee's church, that bellicose online alter ego poses a problem,' Benson writes. 'Even as some Christian denominations have delved into Christian nationalism or partisan politics during the Trump era, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as the Mormon Church) has consistently called on members to do the opposite: to be 'peacemakers' in the civic square.' Read the story. 'This is like me dunking on my 8-year-old and his friends on the short hoops at school. They set themselves up for it with their MAGA base, and now the pedo chickens are coming home to roost.' Can you guess who said this about Republicans amid the ongoing backlash to the DOJ's Epstein memo? Scroll to the bottom for the answer.** Even Architecture Boards Are Weapons Now ... You probably haven't heard much about the National Capital Planning Commission, the panel that oversees urban planning in Washington. At a recent meeting, Capitol City columnist Michael Schaffer sat alone in the media section. But what he heard from the members, with whom President Donald Trump replaced former President Joe Biden's appointees on Wednesday, was markedly more dramatic that the wonkery of architecture nerds: They 'promptly took aim at one of Trump's political foes, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell,' Schaffer writes. 'Powell has resisted Trump's demands to lower interest rates. In response, Republicans have launched a campaign on social media and in Congress against the Fed chair, himself a first-term Trump nominee.' Now, in yet another marker of Trump's hold over D.C., even this small commission has transformed into a weapon to wield against his enemies. Not sure why you've been hearing the name 'Epstein' so much lately? Don't let your friends find out that you missed the DOJ memo saying that Epstein did in fact die by suicide, and that there was no evidence of an 'Epstein list' of clients. Just deploy a few talking points like these, and you won't look so out of the conspiracy loop. (From Associate Editor Dylon Jones) — Hint that you're a sharp observer of the intra-MAGA social media wars — and please, try not to sound like any of these are new names to you: 'Did you all see Laura Loomer coming after the AG? She posted that Kash Patel and Dan Bongino are all-caps 'LIVID' at Pam Bondi.' — Speaking of intra-MAGA disputes and the Bondi vs. Bongino tension, show off what an up-to-date news consumer you are, at least when it comes to palace intrigue: 'Interesting that Bongino took Friday off work, huh? Axios wrote that it was over him clashing with Bondi, and multiple outlets are saying he's thinking about quitting.' — Everyone should know the DOJ is facing backlash from parts of Trump's base, but you have details for both the Washington set and the hyper-online crowd: 'It was like a month ago when Judicial Watch lit up Patel and Bongino over the nothingburger on Epstein. And Tom Fitton's team ain't the only ones. Now, you can pull up basically any political talk-podcast, and you'll hear some backlash. Shulz and crew are pissed.' — Prove you're watching how the Democrats handle this, too: 'They've been grasping about for a message for months, but a lot of them seem to think this MAGA-vs.-MAGA moment could finally give them a rhetorical foothold, even if it means getting over the party's willies over touching 'conspiracy theories.' Electeds are hammering this on socials — AOC, Eric Swalwell, Brian Schatz, to name a few. And you know Democrats love to write letters; Jamie Raskin, Dan Goldman and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent one to Bondi saying they can't help but wonder if 'the massive redaction efforts and the withholding of the files were intended to shield your boss from embarrassing revelations within those files.' Why Grok Became 'Mecha-Hitler' ... X users wondered what to expect when Elon Musk announced improvements to Grok, the platform's AI. They found out this week, when it praised Adolf Hitler, dubbed itself 'Mecha-Hitler' and associated Jewish surnames with 'anti-white hate.' Dylon Jones spoke with AI expert Gary Marcus about the episode, and what it suggests about the future of AI tech and policy. 'I think that what Musk ultimately wants to do is quite Orwellian,' Marcus said. 'I don't think we want a world where a few oligarchs can influence our beliefs very heavily, including in subtle ways by shaping what their social media sites do.' Kentucky Made Thomas Massie Trump-Proof ... Rep. Thomas Massie, the libertarian maverick representing Kentucky's 4th Congressional district, has done what others in his party have found impossible: repeatedly rebuked Trump, without paying a political price. Despite voting against the president at key moments — from keeping the government open back in March to opposing the 'big, beautiful bill' in May and recently decrying strikes on Iran as 'not Constitutional' — Massie has shrugged off Trump's threats to primary him. 'After all, Trump failed to oust him in 2020,' writes Alex Keeney. 'Whether Massie means to or not, his defiant stand for libertarian principles is offering a roadmap for other critics of the president to do something many believe is impossible: Turn some of his most ardent voters against his policies.' From the drafting table of editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker. **Who Dissed? answer: That would be Democratic strategist Eddie Vale, speaking to The Hill. politicoweekend@
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Mike Lee takes down controversial X posts after widespread criticism
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, participates in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 13, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah took down X posts Tuesday making an apparent connection between Gov. Tim Walz and the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, and blaming 'Marxists' for the murders. The change comes after blowback from Sen. Tina Smith and her staffers as well as Democratic and Republican state representatives. One X post said 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' with pictures of Boelter, who is accused of killing Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in the early morning hours of June 14. Boelter also went to the homes of two other state lawmakers that night; one house empty, and at the other, a police officer pulled up to the house shortly after Boelter arrived, so Boelter left. Another post read, 'This is what happens When Marxists don't get their way,' with a picture of Boelter. Misinformation about Boelter's apparent connection to Walz has been circulating online since the murder. Walz reappointed Boelter to the Workforce Development Board after he was originally appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton, but Walz had no personal connection to Boelter. There have also been claims online that Boelter is a leftist, though his roommate told reporters that he is a Trump supporter. The changes to Lee's X feed come after a confrontation between Lee and Smith Monday at the U.S. Capitol. 'I wanted him to hear directly from me about how painful that was and how wrong that was,' Smith told the Star Tribune. Smith, who was a friend of Hortman's, said Lee did not apologize during their conversation. Ed Shelleby, Smith's deputy chief of staff, sent an email to Lee's staff condemning the senator's posts. 'You exploited the murder of a lifetime public servant and her husband to post some sick burns about Democrats. Did you see this as an excellent opportunity to get likes and retweet? Have you absolutely no conscience? No decency?' a copy of the email obtained by Semafor said. Several Minnesota Republicans also condemned Lee's posts. 'I have tremendous respect for Senator Mike Lee, but it doesn't mean he is immune from the base impulses social media incentivizes. People say stupid stuff on the internet all the time. The best they can do is admit they shouldn't have and be better,' Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine, wrote on X. He later responded to his post saying, 'Respect rescinded.' 'This has nothing to do with Governor Walz,' Rep. Walter Hudson, R-Albertville, posted on X. In separate press conferences Monday, both state and federal officials addressed the misinformation that has been circulating online about the assassination. 'As our community grieves, I encourage those out there seeking to create additional chaos to stop spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories,' Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@ SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Time Magazine
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Trump Allies Falsely Link Democrats to Minnesota Shooting Suspect—Despite His Pro-Trump Views
In the aftermath of the deadly Minnesota shootings, several prominent right-wing voices have falsely cast blame on Democrats for the violence, despite the suspected shooter's apparent support for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The President's son, Donald Trump Jr., told News Nation Monday that the suspect in the shootings, which killed one state lawmaker and her husband and wounded another and his wife, 'seems to be a leftist' and 'is a Democrat.' Days earlier, Utah Sen. Mike Lee drew swift backlash when he pointed the finger at 'Marxists' in a post on X after news of the shootings broke. Lee has since deleted that post, and some others about the shooting, following criticism. The comments contradict statements made by those who personally know Vance Boelter, the suspect in the case. A friend identified Boelter as a 'strong supporter' of Trump, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. A man who has known Boelter for years, Paul Schroeder, told The Associated Press that he was 'right-leaning politically,' though he said he never seemed 'fanatical.' Though voters do not register under a specific party in Minnesota, the AP reported that Boelter was previously registered as a Republican in Oklahoma before moving to the state. Authorities recovered lists that appeared to include the names of dozens of other potential targets, including the Democratic lawmakers who were shot and a number of others. Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Joseph Thompson, however, said he has not seen 'anything involving some sort of political screed or manifesto that would clearly identify what motivated him,' referring to Boelter. 'No Kings' flyers were also found in the vehicle, referencing the anti-Trump protests that took place across the United States on Saturday. Boelter, 57, is facing federal charges of stalking and murdering of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and stalking and shooting Minnesota state senator John Hoffman and his wife. In what federal authorities described as a 'calculated plan,' the Department of Justice (DOJ) said the suspect went to the homes of four state lawmakers in the early hours of Saturday morning disguised as law enforcement. He is alleged to have first driven to the Hoffmans' home, who were repeatedly shot after trying to close the door on Boelter, who was wearing a silicone face mask, according to the DOJ. The gunman later went to the Hortmans' home, where they were killed. State-level charges have also been levied against Boelter. The reactions to the shootings underscore the prominent partisan tensions across the U.S. even as lawmakers from across the political spectrum face growing threats of violence. The President told reporters Tuesday he has not called Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to discuss the attack, forgoing a common presidential practice. "Why would I call him?" Trump said in reference to the 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate. "He's a mess. So I could be nice and call, but why waste time?' What Trump allies have been saying Several Trump allies have spread false claims about the suspected shooter's politics. The day news broke regarding the shooting, Sen. Lee called Marxism a 'deadly illness' while resharing a picture of the alleged shooter. In one of his now-deleted posts, he wrote the following day: 'This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way.' Some conservatives pointed to the suspect's appointment to an advisory board in 2019 by Gov. Walz in their claims regarding his political affiliation. 'Everyone talks about Minnesota, but they don't talk about the guy who seems to be a leftist. It's a Minnesota politician, a guy who was appointed by the Democratic governor, vice presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, Tim Walz. The guy that committed those atrocities this weekend is a Democrat,' Trump Jr. told News Nation. Hoffman was also a part of the board Boelter served on, though any relationship they had with one another is unclear. Trump Jr. also criticized Democrats' involvement in the Black Lives Matter protests. 'If Republicans were doing that, they'd be thrown in jail. When a Democrat does it, it's to preserve democracy,' he told News Nation. Former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk echoed a similar sentiment. 'The far left is murderously violent,' he wrote on X Saturday. Far-right activist Laura Loomer, who is known for spreading conspiracy theories, called for the arrest and interrogation of Walz and the organizer behind the No Kings Day protest. 'The media wants to gaslight you into thinking the shooter in Minnesota is a Trump supporter. He was appointed by Walz. He was friends with Walz. And he had NO KINGS flyers in his car,' she shared on X on Saturday. A source from the governor's office told The Minnesota Star Tribune that Walz and Boelter did not know each other, and said that the advisory board the suspect was appointed to was nonpartisan. Boelter previously served on the workplace development advisory board under appointment by former Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, a member of the state's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden claimed that the gunman was a liberal who 'decided to murder and attempt to murder some politicians that were not far Left enough for them.' He also called Walz a ' clown ' and ' stupid ' in additional posts . What we know about the suspected shooter's political views Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Boelter's roommate David Carlson revealed that the suspected gunman voted for Trump but had not discussed "politics lately.' Boelter voted in the presidential primary, but not as a Democrat, per the Star Tribune. A review of his social media profiles by CNN identified Boelter as an evangelical Christian. A video of a speech Boelter gave in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2023 showed him criticizing those who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. 'There's people especially in America, they don't know what sex they are, they don't know their sexual orientation, they're confused. The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and their soul,' he said. The list of other suspected targets recovered from Boelter's car included Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, both Democrats. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Kelly Morrison and Angie Craig were also on the list, a law enforcement official told the New York Times. Additional documents seized by authorities show possible plans to attack 'No Kings' or anti-Trump protests. How others have been responding Some officials have denounced the statements from Republicans seeking to link the alleged shooter to Democrats, particularly Sen. Lee's. Former chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele, told Lee to 'grow the hell up' in response to another post made by the Senator that read 'Nightmare on Waltz Street.' Sen. Smith confronted Lee in person and called his statements painful. Sen. Klobuchar told MSNBC she planned to speak to Lee in person. 'And what I'm going to tell him is: This isn't funny,' Klobuchar said. The rise of political violence in the U.S. The shootings are the latest among a growing number of threats and acts of violence against elected officials in recent years. President Trump last year survived two apparent assasination attempts, first during a Pennsylvania rally and later while he was at a golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's home was set on fire in April by a man who authorities said told them he would have beaten the governor 'with a hammer' if he had seen him. In Oct. 2022, a man attacked Rep. Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer at their San Francisco home. David DePape, the convicted assailant, said he planned on breaking former House Speaker Pelosi's kneecaps if she did not reply to his questions truthfully.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Mike Lee takes down X posts after widespread criticism
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-UT, participates in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Committee met to examining pharmacy benefit managers and competition issues in the prescription drug supply chain. (Photo by) Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah took down X posts Tuesday making an apparent connection between Gov. Tim Walz and the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, and blaming 'Marxists' for the murders. The change comes after blowback from Sen. Tina Smith and her staffers as well as Minnesota Democratic and Republican lawmakers. One X post said 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' with pictures of Boelter, who is accused of killing Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in the early morning hours of June 14. Boelter also went to the homes of two other state lawmakers that night; one house was empty, and at the other, a police officer pulled up to the house shortly after Boelter arrived, so Boelter left. Another Lee post read, 'This is what happens When Marxists don't get their way,' with a picture of Boelter. Misinformation about Boelter's apparent connection to Walz has been circulating online since the killing. Walz reappointed Boelter to the Workforce Development Board — one of hundreds of nonpartisan boards and commissions — after he was originally appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton, but Walz had no personal connection to Boelter. There have also been claims online that Boelter is a leftist, though his roommate told reporters that he is a Trump supporter. The changes to Lee's X feed come after a confrontation between Lee and Smith Monday at the U.S. Capitol. 'I wanted him to hear directly from me about how painful that was and how wrong that was,' Smith told the Star Tribune. Smith, who was a friend of Hortman's, said Lee did not apologize during their conversation. Ed Shelleby, Smith's deputy chief of staff, sent an email to Lee's staff condemning the senator's posts. 'You exploited the murder of a lifetime public servant and her husband to post some sick burns about Democrats. Did you see this as an excellent opportunity to get likes and retweets? Have you absolutely no conscience? No decency?' a copy of the email obtained by Semafor said. Several Minnesota Republicans also condemned Lee's posts. 'I have tremendous respect for Senator Mike Lee, but it doesn't mean he is immune from the base impulses social media incentivizes. People say stupid stuff on the internet all the time. The best they can do is admit they shouldn't have and be better,' Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine, wrote on X. He later responded to his post, writing, 'Respect rescinded.' 'This has nothing to do with Governor Walz,' Rep. Walter Hudson, R-Albertville, posted on X. In separate press conferences Monday, both state and federal officials addressed the misinformation that has been circulating online about the assassination. 'As our community grieves, I encourage those out there seeking to create additional chaos to stop spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories,' Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Republicans have to decide if they stand with DOGE's death and destruction
Congress will soon face a vote that goes far beyond dollars and cents. It's a vote about who lives, who dies — and whether the United States still recognizes the difference. Republican lawmakers have largely distanced themselves from the Trump administration's unlawful cuts to lifesaving foreign aid. And while they have done nothing to stop them, they could at least claim the cuts were done without their input. Now President Donald Trump is asking them to approve a rescissions package that would retroactively cancel grants that gave food to the hungry and medicine to the sick, building goodwill for the United States around the world. If they approve the package, Congressional Republicans will have joined hands with the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the rogue unofficial group until recently helmed by billionaire Elon Musk, to take back money Congress had already appropriated to programs to feed and care for children around the globe. To be clear, this vote comes with consequences. An analysis by a Boston University infectious-disease mathematical modeler and health economist found that Trump's cuts in foreign aid have already resulted in the deaths of approximately 200,000 children and 96,000 adults — a death toll that claims another 103 lives every hour. These deaths were all preventable. Indeed, Congress already tried to prevent them when it passed decades worth of spending bills that included funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, the agency that, for decades, has delivered U.S. global leadership in the form of vaccines, health care, food aid, maternal care and HIV treatment. That all came to an end when the Musk-led DOGE effort essentially dismantled USAID from within, terminating thousands of contracts, cutting overseas operations, and freezing essential programs. Musk didn't hide his contempt when he labeled USAID a 'viper's nest of radical-left Marxists' and declared it was 'time for it to die.' If congressional Republicans approve the rescissions package, they will have enshrined into law the slashing of $9.4 billion in already-approved federal spending targeted by DOGE. More than $8 billion of that comes from the State Department and USAID. In short, it would be cruelty codified into law. In the Peruvian Amazon, USAID helped Indigenous communities fight deforestation and illegal mining. When hundreds of mobile health teams and other services were suspended in Afghanistan, some 9 million people were affected, according to a U.N. spokesperson. In Ukraine, USAID delivered clean water systems and trauma care. In crisis after crisis, from Ebola to famine, USAID has been on the frontlines. It is especially crucial for emergency food assistance — supporting efforts such as the distribution of fortified peanut paste to millions of malnourished children through nonprofits like MANA Nutrition. In this case, the damage is done. In June, USAID withdrew its support. One of the most targeted programs is the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, the landmark, bipartisan Bush-era global AIDS relief effort that has saved more than 25 million lives since 2003. The plan has since become a cornerstone of American global health diplomacy — touted by Republicans and Democrats alike as a moral triumph. But today, amid a wave of Trump-era isolationism and budgetary cynicism, even PEPFAR is on the chopping block. Some Republicans lawmakers — aware of the program's legacy and their own party's role in creating it — have begun to raise concerns, but the question is whether that will be enough to save it. But there is even more at stake. The rescissions package would also cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund NPR and PBS through hundreds of local public TV and radio stations around the country. The Trump administration has cast this as striking a blow against liberals, but it's actually the opposite. On Monday, Republican Rep. Mark Amodei of Nevada and Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman of New York issued a warning about the impact of cutting federal funds for public broadcasting, warning that 'rescinding this funding would also isolate rural communities.' But as with anything related to U.S. politics these days — words are not enough. It is a damning reflection of this political moment that these cuts are coming as the president continues to spend tens of millions of dollars on a grotesquely expensive military parade to ostensibly celebrate him. This isn't about fiscal responsibility. The $10.5 billion in savings from cuts to USAID and PBS does nothing to offset the additional $2.3 trillion Trump will add to our national deficit or address the 10.9 million people who will become uninsured if his megabill passes in its current form. This is cruelty masquerading as cost-cutting. It's about the GOP's obsession with winning the culture wars and clamping down on a free press. With Democrats expected to oppose the package, Republicans can only afford to lose three votes and still push the measure over the finish line. But Republicans are keeping mum — or speaking about it anonymously. Is that the courage their constituents voted for? Every member of Congress who votes for this package is voting to turn temporary cruelty into permanent consequence. These are not just budget lines, but human lives. The toll this "deal-making" president has already inflicted is unthinkable. Let's not cement it into our nation's legacy. For more thought-provoking insights from Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez and Symone Sanders-Townsend, watch 'The Weeknight' every Monday-Friday at 7 p.m. ET on MSNBC. This article was originally published on
