House GOP campaign chief spars with CBS host over ‘#FirePelosi’ tweet with gun
Rep. Tom Emmer (Minn.), the chairman of the House GOP campaign arm, sparred with CBS’s Margaret Brennan over a tweet he sent attacking Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) days before her husband was allegedly assaulted.
During an appearance on “Face the Nation,” Brennan asked Emmer about his Wednesday tweet that included a video of the lawmaker shooting a firearm in what appears to be an indoor range.
“Enjoyed exercising my Second Amendment rights with @KellyCooperAZ & General @JackBergman_MI1,” the tweet read. “13 days to make history. Let’s #FirePelosi.”
Brennan chastised the Minnesota Republican for the tweet after Paul Pelosi, the Speaker’s husband, was allegedly assaulted at their San Francisco home early Friday morning.
“Exercising our Second Amendment rights, having fun —” Emmer said moments after he denounced the alleged assault.
“That’s not a debate about the Second Amendment,” interjected Brennan. “That’s not a debate about the Second Amendment. Hashtag fire Pelosi.”
“Yes it is,” Emmer said.
“Do you not understand that that is suggestive to people who are in a bad state and, in this current environment, how risky it is as you’re talking about the importance of lowering the rhetoric,” said Brennan.
“I disagree,” Emmer responded.
Emmer during the exchange also suggested a double standard existed between the parties, referencing when Rep. Steve Scalise (La.), the House Republican whip, was shot in 2017 during a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game.
“A Bernie Sanders supporter shot Steve Scalise,” said Emmer on CBS. “I never heard you or anyone else in the media trying to blame Democrats for what happened.”
“We did extensive coverage of what happened to Steve Scalise,” Brennan responded.
The appearance came after David DePape, 42, allegedly broke into the Speaker’s San Francisco home and assaulted Paul Pelosi with a hammer.
The Speaker was in Washington, D.C., at the time, but the suspect shouted, “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” before assaulting her husband.
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