Pat Snyder introduces Rebecca Kleefisch in Kronenwetter at the Marathon County Republican Headquarters. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Assemblyman Pat Snyder says the shooting death of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman proves that everyone needs to step back and take a breath.
“It goes for both sides,” said Snyder. “[Last] July we saw the attempt on President Trump’s life because the rhetoric was that he was a dictator, a fascist. That’s the fuel for the folks that really think he is. On the other side, you have the ones that say ‘well you’re not helping Trump, you’re trying to do things that are against the democracy,’ that’s the fuel for them.”
He says he prefers to stick to policy discussions and not escalate the conversation via social media, but others do. “They like to get sound bytes they can use to fundraise. They might not know that they are subtly adding to the tension or fuel that makes somebody who is mentally unstable take the next step forward and go after these public officials.”
Snyder adds that running for public office is already unappealing because of the nature of attack ads and opposition research done on both sides. Add in the thought that you or your family could be targeted in your home, and many people will likely pass on that form of public service. He went so far as to call for those at the very top to use their platform to encourage calm. “President Trump should get together with [House Speaker Mike] Johnson, [Senate Majority Leader John] Thune, [Democrat Nancy] Pelosi, and [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer at a news conference and say, ‘let’s take the intensity down, let’s watch our language. Let’s disagree with civility and stop calling people names and try to move the country forward.'”
“This is getting a little too far,” added Snyder.
Hortman represented three communities on the northwest edge of the Twin Cities. She was first elected in 2004 and was currently serving as Speaker Emerita in an evenly divided chamber (67 Republicans, 67 DFL).
The suspect, identified as Vance Boelter, is being charged with both state and federal murder and attempted murder. Investigators say he went to the homes of at least two other Minnesota lawmakers on Friday evening as well, one of whom was on vacation.
On Monday, investigators also revealed some of the names of other Democratic figures that were listed in his vehicle. That includes US Senator Tammy Baldwin and about ten other Wisconsin officials.
NOTE: In Minnesota, the Democratic Party is known as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor, or DFL.
Comments