Former GOP Congressman, Now a Frequent MSNBC Guest, Again Tweets ‘Grab Your Musket’ in Wake of Scalise Shooting
‘I Meant It Literally’
Former U.S. Republican Congressman and former deadbeat dad Joe Walsh, a frequent guest on MSNBC, last October angered many when he tweeted, “On November 8th, I’m voting for Trump. On November 9th, if Trump loses, I’m grabbing my musket. You in?”
On November 8th, I’m voting for Trump.
On November 9th, if Trump loses, I’m grabbing my musket.
You in?
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) October 26, 2016
Walsh, who served in the House for one term when he rode the 2010 election’s Tea Party wave, after posting the tweet tried to defend it by saying, “It means protesting. Participating in acts of civil disobedience. Doing what it takes to get our country back.”
Thursday afternoon, one day after Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot at a baseball practice by a madman, London School of Economics Fellow and op-ed writer Brian Klass pointed to Walsh’s October tweet as an example of “violent speech” and “irresponsible hyperbole.”
Even if this former Congressman meant this figuratively, this type of violent speech is irresponsible hyperbole. https://t.co/LOz94VEfXD
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) June 15, 2017
It turns out Klass was being too generous.
“I meant it literally,” Walsh, now a talk radio host, responded. “Grab your musket.”
.@brianklaas I meant it literally.
Grab your musket. https://t.co/Ur8eFpS1Re
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 15, 2017
Klass then denounced Walsh for tweet:
Violent rhetoric in politics makes it more likely that unwell people will become violent. Shame on you @WalshFreedom pic.twitter.com/zbTzljqtYL
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) June 15, 2017
Mediaite notes “Walsh had defended his musket tweet to Chris Cuomo in an interview in October, alleging it was not to be taken literally. Apparently, that no longer stands.”Â
It’s important to note that some Republicans, since Wednesday’s vile shooting, have been blaming Democrats’ “rhetoric” for the attack.
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