Far-right Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado has a well documented enthusiasm for firearms.
Boebert campaigned on the promise to bring her glock with her to the halls of Congress (she didn't). She saw widespread ridicule online for the slapdash display of assault weapons in her Zoom background. Even now, she owns the Rifle, Colorado restaurant Shooter's, where servers are encouraged to openly carry their firearms as they work.
After actor and producer Alec Baldwin inadvertently shot and killed Director of Photography Halyna Hutchins with a prop gun on the set of his film Rust, waves of sympathy poured out for everyone involved in the devastating accident, especially for Hutchins' husband and young son.
Boebert, however, joined other conservatives in mocking Baldwin—an outspoken Democrat—for the shooting, even going so far as to resurrect an old tweet of his to do so.
.@AlecBaldwin are these still available? Asking for a movie producer… https://t.co/AeE5VHLhqN— Lauren Boebert (@Lauren Boebert) 1634920408.0
Boebert's tweet received widespread backlash, but she only doubled down, insisting the mishap indicated that Liberals chastise the use of firearms without practicing basic gun safety themselves.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper lambasted Boebert for the cruel tweet in a segment of his show.
Our politics is driving people away from our shared humanity, says @jaketapper, as a Republican candidate attempts… https://t.co/0vEj3MR82s— State of the Union (@State of the Union) 1635085033.0
Tapper said:
"There is something about politics right now that is driving people away from our shared humanity. Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert apparently did some digging and found Alec Baldwin's tweet from 2014 about the Hands Up Don't Shoot movement. ... The Colorado congresswoman thought it was funny to exploit 'hands up, don't shoot,' to make a joke at the expense of Baldwin, but more importantly, really to make a joke at the expense of Halyna Hutchins and her husband Matthew and their son Andres."
Tapper went on to skewer a tweet from GOP candidate for Ohio's seat in the U.S. Senate, J.D. Vance, whose tweet mocking Baldwin also went viral for its shamelessness.
People agreed with Tapper's take.
@CNNSotu @jaketapper 100% correct.— M has had enough! #GunReform #VoteBlue (@M has had enough! #GunReform #VoteBlue) 1635098383.0
@CNNSotu @jaketapper Well said Jake 👍 A powerful statement.— Christiane Schotsch 🦀🐬 (@Christiane Schotsch 🦀🐬) 1635086584.0
@CNNSotu @jaketapper Thank you Jake....there is something inherently wrong with people who make an accidental trage… https://t.co/UYWMx1edlB— Juana (@Juana) 1635090370.0
@CNNSotu @jaketapper Thank You Jake!!— Paula Leckey (@Paula Leckey) 1635100793.0
@CNNSotu @jaketapper Thank you for saying what needs to be said.— Carmen Chandler (@Carmen Chandler) 1635108434.0
Others commended Tapper while noting that the cruelty spewed by Boebert and Vance is now a prerequisite for prominence in the Republican party.
Good job, @jaketapper, at showing a uniquely terrible and key feature of the GOP. https://t.co/3Ql8YR6S39— Prophet Walrus ꤶ (@Prophet Walrus ꤶ) 1635128534.0
@CNNSotu @TheValuesVoter @jaketapper A feature. Wickedness, evil, while they profess some kind of righteousness. So… https://t.co/2pFvbOzVmW— Leo O'Landry-Au'LeGros 🇨🇦 (@Leo O'Landry-Au'LeGros 🇨🇦) 1635127055.0
@CNNSotu @jaketapper Okay. We're gonna go over this and over this and over this... The cruelty IS the point.— Reggie Dunlop (@Reggie Dunlop) 1635086534.0
Tapper said as much in relaying a text from an anonymous Republican as well.