Last month U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, a far-right Republican from Arizona, delivered a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives arguing against a gun safety bill that would create a red flag law to assist federal courts in keeping guns away from those who are a risk to themselves or others. And she – inadvertently – said she would shoot her grandchildren if she had to.
“I have five grandchildren,” Congresswoman Lesko said on June 9, opposing the legislation that is expected to save lives. “I would do anything, anything to protect my five grandchildren, including as a last resort shooting them if I had to, to protect the lives of my grandchildren.”
That’s a direct quote, one that can be seen here on C-SPAN.
It was a simple mistake, one that went unnoticed until one social media user posted the clip to Twitter this week, causing her remarks to trend and go viral. Many laughed at the error, one that she easily could have and should have corrected at the time she made it, or immediately after, but she neglected to do so.
Rather than join in some good-natured ribbing and some less-than good-natured mockery by offering a witty, self-deprecating response that could actually have endeared her to those who don’t know her, Rep. Lesko went on the attack.
“It never ceases to amaze me the lengths gun control zealots will go!” Lesko tweeted Wednesday. “They turned my speech about protecting Second Amendment rights and my right to protect my grandchildren from violent criminals into a claim I would harm my own grandchildren. Absolutely ridiculous!”
That’s false. It’s hard to claim thousands watching the short video, and the many mocking her are “gun control zealots,” and many (including NCRM in our report Wednesday evening) gave her the benefit of the doubt.
The pro-gun Arizona congresswoman who supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election now has another issue to contend with. As NCRM and others noted, she is running for re-election, completely unopposed. No Republican primary challeger, no Democratic opponent.
Which is making some wonder if they should enter the race.