Far-right Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado has a well documented enthusiasm for firearms.
Boebert campaigned on the promise to bring her glock with her to the halls of Congress (she didn't). She saw widespread ridicule online for the slapdash display of assault weapons in her Zoom background. Even now, she owns the Rifle, Colorado restaurant Shooter's, where servers are encouraged to openly carry their firearms as they work.
After actor and producer Alec Baldwin inadvertently shot and killed Director of Photography Halyna Hutchins with a prop gun on the set of his film Rust, waves of sympathy poured out for everyone involved in the devastating accident, especially for Hutchins' husband and young son.
Boebert, however, joined other conservatives in mocking Baldwin—an outspoken Democrat—for the shooting, even going so far as to resurrect an old tweet of his to do so.
.@AlecBaldwin are these still available? \n\nAsking for a movie producer\u2026pic.twitter.com/AeE5VHLhqN— Lauren Boebert (@Lauren Boebert) 1634920408
Boebert's tweet received widespread backlash, but she only doubled down, insisting the mishap indicated that Liberals chastise the use of firearms without practicing basic gun safety themselves.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper lambasted Boebert for the cruel tweet in a segment of his show.
Our politics is driving people away from our shared humanity, says @jaketapper, as a Republican candidate attempts to exploit the terrible tragedy on the set of Alec Baldwin\u2019s film, for political gain.\n\nFor some Republican leaders, cruelty is a feature, not a bug, he says.pic.twitter.com/GTFls3ZzHk— State of the Union (@State of the Union) 1635085033
Tapper said:
"There is something about politics right now that is driving people away from our shared humanity. Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert apparently did some digging and found Alec Baldwin's tweet from 2014 about the Hands Up Don't Shoot movement. ... The Colorado congresswoman thought it was funny to exploit 'hands up, don't shoot,' to make a joke at the expense of Baldwin, but more importantly, really to make a joke at the expense of Halyna Hutchins and her husband Matthew and their son Andres."
Tapper went on to skewer a tweet from GOP candidate for Ohio's seat in the U.S. Senate, J.D. Vance, whose tweet mocking Baldwin also went viral for its shamelessness.
People agreed with Tapper's take.
100% correct.— M has had enough! #GunReform #VoteBlue (@M has had enough! #GunReform #VoteBlue) 1635098383
Well said Jake A powerful statement.— Christiane Schotsch \ud83e\udd80\ud83d\udc2c (@Christiane Schotsch \ud83e\udd80\ud83d\udc2c) 1635086584
Thank you Jake....there is something inherently wrong with people who make an accidental tragedy into a political story, especially the attempt at "humor". Sad that we live in this insanity.— Juana (@Juana) 1635090370
Thank You Jake!!— Paula Leckey (@Paula Leckey) 1635100793
Thank you for saying what needs to be said.— Carmen Chandler (@Carmen Chandler) 1635108434
Others commended Tapper while noting that the cruelty spewed by Boebert and Vance is now a prerequisite for prominence in the Republican party.
Good job, @jaketapper, at showing a uniquely terrible and key feature of the GOP.pic.twitter.com/3Ql8YR6S39— Prophet Walrus \ua936 (@Prophet Walrus \ua936) 1635128534
A feature. Wickedness, evil, while they profess some kind of righteousness. So many warnings that they disregard when and if they open their Bibles.— Leo O'Landry-Au'LeGros \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 (@Leo O'Landry-Au'LeGros \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6) 1635127055
Okay. We're gonna go over this and over this and over this...\n\nThe cruelty IS the point.— Reggie Dunlop (@Reggie Dunlop) 1635086534
Tapper said as much in relaying a text from an anonymous Republican as well.
dance off GIF by BANNERS
Dog Exercising GIF by Jason Clarke
who am i skin GIF by Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
@StephenKing/X