James Hodgkinson, 66, opened fire at an early-morning practice ahead of a charity baseball game on Wednesday, critically wounding House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and injuring four others before the U.S. Capitol Police took down the assailant in Alexandria, Virginia. The shooting gripped America as it was condemned on both sides of the aisle. Hodgkinson was a Bernie Sanders supporter who hated Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. At the scene of the shooting was Sen. Rand Paul, who in 2016, tweeted, “Why do we have a Second Amendment? It’s not to shoot deer. It’s to shoot at the government when it becomes tyrannical!”
.@Judgenap: Why do we have a Second Amendment? It’s not to shoot deer. It’s to shoot at the government when it becomes tyrannical!
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 23, 2016
That tweet did not go unnoticed by Twitter users.
You might not want to show this tweet to your colleagues who were shot today. I hope they and the officers recover fully.
— Peter W Beadle (@pwbnyc) June 14, 2017
Coincidentally, he was even at the shooting.
— Cat sìth (@HeadphoneSpace) June 14, 2017
If your stated position is citizens need to have guns to confront the government then this shouldn’t be seen as a tragedy right?
— Matthew John Altieri (@matthewaltieri) June 14, 2017
So, if I understand you correctly, individuals who believe government is tyrannical can legally remedy grievances by armed aggression?
— #NotDistracted (@SharperBeing) June 14, 2017
Wow, great sentiment to have amplified for a day like today, Sir. Sheesh. @AynRandPaulRyan did you see this? #tasteless pic.twitter.com/hblTHjwTuB
— Joe Papp (@joepabike) June 14, 2017
So the guy who shot Scalise was just exercising his Constitutional rights according to you?
— Tom Leykis (@tomleykis) June 14, 2017
Rand Paul left a statement on the shooting.
My statement on the shooting this AM in Alexandria. pic.twitter.com/jrZxdqTchD
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 14, 2017
In 2015, Scalise, who has an A+ rating with the NRA, tweeted, “We fought Pres. Obama & his liberal lieutenants’ ammo ban & they backed down! We will always defend our #2A rights.”
We fought Pres. Obama & his liberal lieutenants’ ammo ban & they backed down! We will always defend our #2A rights. http://t.co/FQle0BQDL4
— Rep. Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) March 10, 2015
https://t.co/bShBgKjADo
Irony isn’t just a chore for your wife— Pittsburgh Slim (@PittsburghSlim) June 14, 2017
Whelp! Reality bites…didn’t shooter reload & in addition have a tactical weapon…hey, its what u voted4, glad we can help!
— Inez Kelley (@Inezkelley) June 14, 2017
Good to know that today’s gunman had rights too. Is that a correct assessment?
— Jami Craig (@jami_craig) June 14, 2017
Well then, he should support this man’s right to own one. They want mentally ill people to have them. They opposed President Obama on this
— TheLadyinhislife (@Ladyinhislife2) June 14, 2017
We do hope that Scalise pulls through and we strongly condemn this act of violence so by posting his old tweet, we are in no way justifying an attack on elected officials. It’s just the irony of it all that’s amazing.
Featured image via Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
