Fox News Contributor Says Tom Price’s Private Chartered Planes Are A-OK Because ‘The Left Wants Him Dead’
‘Imagine the Death Threats He’s Getting Right Now’ Erick Erickson Claims, Citing Exactly Zero Reports
Fox News Contributor Erick Erickson says Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price should be flying on private chartered planes that cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars because “the left wants him dead.” Price, a former fiscally conservative GOP Congressman, has traveled via the private chartered planes at least two dozen times in just four months, costing taxpayers $300,000.
Erickson, who for a time was considered a thought leader and highly influential during the height of the Tea Party, literally told “Fox & Friends” Friday morning that Price “needs protection,” then brought up the mad gunman who shot House Majority Whip Steve Scalise at a DC baseball practice.
“Have they forgotten James Hodgkinson?” Erickson asked “Fox & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy. “I mean it wasn’t that long ago that a left-wing Democrat fueled by Democratic rhetoric on Obamacare tried to mass assassinate Republicans in Congress. This is the man, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who would oversee repeal of Obamacare. Imagine the death threats he’s getting right now,” Erickson cried.Â
“Tom Price needs to be protected, the left wants him dead because he’s trying to repeal Obamacare†–@EWErickson pic.twitter.com/sjN90ouUHW
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) September 22, 2017
NCRM was unable to find any public reports of Secretary Tom Price receiving death threats.Â
Undeterred, Erickson continued to spin.
“Well listen, if something bad happened to Tom Price, a lot of the reporters writing these headlines would probably be smiling because they don’t like him,” said Erickson, bashing the media a la Donald Trump. “They’re liberals. And Tom Price needs to be protected. The left wants him dead, frankly, because he’s trying to repeal Obamacare.”
Erickson is remarkably uninformed. In fact, a Thursday evening Politico report notes that Tom Price is actually not doing anything to help the ObamaCare repeal effort, and states the White House is angered by his lack of focus on the president’s priorities.
“The left has not only become increasingly violent, but they have started grounding their violence in the language of moralism,” Erickson, in an article titled “Liberals Are Upset Tom Price Has Made It Challenging to Try to Kill Him,” claims.
He adds: “you want him walking through a public airport? His presence not only puts his own safety at risk, but ensures inconvenience and possible safety issues for others.”
“The left,” Erickson charges, falsely, “has created a violent situation presently in the country and now complains when those they would cheer if shot take steps to avoid being shot.”
Some responses via Twitter:
You’re telling me that over 250 GOP members of Congress somehow figured out how to securely fly commercial, but Tom Price can’t?
— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) September 21, 2017
Do you not think Sec Sebelius got death threats during Obamacare battle? Did she take private flights to avoid Tea Partiers in airports?
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) September 21, 2017
If an Obama cabinet member traveled by private jet, you would still be crapping yourself over it.
— MommaCatS (@CCSudds) September 21, 2017
Ridiculously bad tweet. If @VP44 could take Amtrak, Price can take a commercial flight – or just drive from DC to Philly.
— Lily Von Shtupp (@LVShtupp) September 21, 2017
Do you have ANY evidence anybody wants to harm T. Price? What irresponsible nonsense you’re peddling. This HURTS America. Why post this?
— Rich McWilliams (@RichMcWilliams1) September 21, 2017
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