Republicans Under Fire: Today's News for June 15th

The Daily Caller:

Shooting At GOP Baseball Practice Latest In Pattern Of Violence Against Republicans

The shooting at a congressional GOP baseball practice is just the latest in an escalating pattern of violence and intimidation against Republicans.

James T. Hodgkinson opened fire on GOP lawmakers and staffers with a rifle on Wednesday morning as they prepared for the annual summer baseball game between Republicans and Democrats. The shooter wounded several victims, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and a staffer for Texas Rep. Roger Williams, before heroically being taken down by Capitol Police.

If not for the attendance of Scalise — whose leadership position comes with a security detail — “it would have been a massacre,” said Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who managed to avoid getting shot. “I felt like I was back in Iraq but without my weapon,” said Ohio Rep. Brad Wenstrup, a former combat surgeon.

Hodgkinson’s social media profile revealed the 66-year-old was a left-wing Bernie Sanders supporter who believed President Trump is a “traitor.” In one foreboding Facebook post in March, Hodgkinson wrote, “It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”

The article goes on to point out multiple examples of threats and actual violence against Republican politicians and their staffers across the country.

This is a direct result of the Leftist media painting the Right, and specifically Republicans, as morally destitute and evil. Here is your proof:

Belleville News-Democrat:

Hodgkinson letters: ‘I have never said life sucks, only the policies of the Republicans’

James Hodgkinson, the Belleville man who was killed after police say he shot at congressmen and aides during practice for a congressional baseball game Wednesday, wrote a number of letters to the editor of the Belleville News-Democrat.

In them, he often railed against Republicans and tax policies...

While most of Hodgkinson's letters could have been issued from any Democratic politicians' office, there is one striking line among the letters:

One of my favorite TV shows is “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC.

In addition:

Letter writer Roddy Riggs reminds me of Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly, but I’m sure he doesn’t bring in the millions of dollars those two do. They speak their lies and hatred and misdirection to anyone who will listen.

When you fan the flames of hatred as the Left has done, this is what happens. People get killed.

This is no different than what Islamic extremists do to get people to blow themselves up for "the cause". When you can get people to hate enough, there is no limit to what they will do for you.

Speaking of the Left...

CNN:

Source: Investigators for special counsel will soon speak to senior intelligence officials

Investigators for the special counsel investigating questions of Russian interference in the 2016 election will soon speak to senior intelligence officials, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.

Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have asked for information and will talk to Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and National Security Agency Director Adm. Mike Rogers, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Investigators have also sought information from recently retired NSA Deputy Director Richard Ledgett, according to the source. Ledgett wrote a memo, according to the source, documenting a conversation in which President Donald Trump allegedly urged Rogers to help get the FBI to lift the cloud of the Russia investigation.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the interviews represent a widening of the probe to include a query into whether the President obstructed justice in suggesting to his former FBI Director James Comey that he drop the investigation into Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, as well as for firing of Comey.

If the Washington Post reported this Tuesday, why is it a lede story on CNN today? The little bias cynicist in me says the shooting of Republicans yesterday annoyingly detracted from CNN's usual anti-Trump programming, and they didn't want this story to get missed.

On the other hand, while Fox News did report this story, it was page 2 news by today.

All bias aside, this story does deserve coverage, even though it is speculative at this time. But short of a new twist to the story, which there doesn't appear to be, a 2-day old news lede is dubious.

Finally...

Live 5 News;

Federal, state authorities continue investigation into threat reported at Wando terminal

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (WCSC) - Officials with the Coast Guard say federal and state authorities are continuing to investigate a potential threat which was reported at the Wando Terminal Wednesday night.

Coast Guard officials say the FBI is investigating a report of a "dirty bomb" aboard a vessel.

A dirty bomb is composed of conventional explosives and radioactive material.

According to emergency officials, no radiation has been found at this time.

Since the report was made at 8 pm, and nothing further has been reported, my guess is there are two possibilities: First, they didn't find anything and this is a false report; or second, they found something and don't want to scare the public. The first possibility seems more likely, since politicians love to scare the public.