Just a few hours after the mass shooting in El Paso this weekend, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s campaign account tweeted out a picture of a collection of paper tombstones bearing the names of issues like socialism and the Green New Deal, as well as actual people: Merrick Garland, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, and McConnell’s prime 2020 opponent Amy McGrath.
The image was tweeted along with a picture of McConnell, both from the same local event, the Fancy Farm Picnic.
Leave it to Mitch McConnell and his team to tweet a joke about death and graveyards (and leave it up) on a weekend 31 people were killed in mass shootings. https://t.co/nio1PcVVXD
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) August 5, 2019
This would have been an unacceptable thing to joke about no matter what, but the timing made it especially disgusting.
Hours after the El Paso shooting, Mitch McConnell proudly tweeted this photo. I find it so troubling that our politics have become so nasty and personal that the Senate Majority Leader thinks it’s appropriate to use imagery of the death of a political opponent (me) as messaging. pic.twitter.com/2x5kO5jwPi
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) August 5, 2019
Although that wasn’t even the only terrible “joke” to come from “Team Mitch” at Fancy Farm this weekend.
Would the civility police please contact the optics police about this? https://t.co/nbx9oNdf0b
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) August 5, 2019
Only the best and brightest on Team Mitch, apparently.
Meanwhile, Democrats in both the House and the Senate are calling on him to reconvene the Senate, which is currently on their summer recess, to vote on urgent gun reform legislation. The House has passed two bills related to background checks (HR 8 and HR 1112) McConnell has had stalled since February, refusing to even hold a vote.
This is a national crisis. Mitch McConnell needs to bring the Senate back from recess right now and hold votes on legislation to protect Americans from gun violence. Enough. We need to end this carnage now.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 4, 2019
Two background check bills have already passed the House. The Senate has an opportunity to pass them—but Mitch McConnell refuses to act. @SenateMajLdr, you must bring the Senate back into session to vote on this important legislation.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 5, 2019
The Bipartisan Background Checks Act passed the House in February—but it hasn’t even received a hearing in the Senate.
It’s past time to take action. To Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans, I say: have some courage. Let’s vote.
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) August 5, 2019
McConnell isn’t likely to end the summer session early, though. He wouldn’t be likely to do so under any circumstances, but he reportedly tripped and fell this morning, fracturing his shoulder. According to a spokesperson, he’s been treated and released and he’s now working from home.
Not everyone is convinced, though. A delightful Reddit thread on the story (which moderators were quick to close) is full of people alternately offering their sarcastic thoughts and prayers and demanding to see his X-rays as proof of injury.
The timing sure is convenient. Lots of people are speculating that he’ll use this as an excuse to not call that emergency vote that’s being demanded. And some are even suggesting he might use this as an out from the Senate altogether.
My wife just said that #MoscowMitch aka #MassacreMitch is going to use his injury to retire, because his town hall shocked him and he knows he is about to lose, anyway. She gives it 6 weeks.
It’s a sound theory.
— William S. Thompson (@gonzo_mcgee) August 5, 2019
Honestly, that’s probably the best-case scenario we could hope for. And it’s true, Mitch’s Fancy Farm appearance was probably not what he wanted it to be.
Listen as a crowd of Kentuckians drowns out @senatemajldr with chants of “Moscow Mitch” today at Fancy Farm. Cc @KyDems pic.twitter.com/Ds5jSJOl5c
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) August 4, 2019
Chants of #MoscowMitch erupt through crowd as @senatemajldr takes stage. McConnell, who loves #FancyFarm, says “w/ Republican leadership, Kentucky is rising to top” but hard to hear him. #FancyFarm139 Touts #hemp and takes jab at @AmyMcGrathKY as Amy “McGaffe” @SpectrumNews1KY pic.twitter.com/NccfjUDbrQ
— Eva McKend (@evamckend) August 3, 2019
If McConnell is injured, don’t worry about him. Not only is he a terrible human being, but remember, as a Senator, he has incredibly affordable and comprehensive health insurance!
(image: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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