Reuters
Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) prompted a stir this week when she took the ground of the Home to oppose a gun security invoice and within the course of appeared to vow to shoot her personal grandchildren.
“I've 5 grandchildren,” the congresswoman started in her Tuesday speech. “I'd do something—something—to guard my 5 grandchildren. Together with, as a final resort, capturing them, if I needed to, to guard the lives of my grandchildren.” Rising extra indignant, Lesko then accused Democrats of attempting to “take away my proper to guard my grandchildren” and “the rights of law-abiding residents to guard their very own youngsters.”
After Lesko’s remarks began to choose up steam on social media Wednesday, with gun rights activists together with Mothers Demand Motion founder Shannon Watts expressing concern over her obvious priorities, the congresswoman issued a press release that didn't search to make clear her feedback however slightly assault her critics.
“It by no means ceases to amaze me the lengths gun management zealots will go!” Lesko wrote on Twitter. “They turned my speech about defending Second Modification rights and my proper to guard my grandchildren from violent criminals right into a declare I'd hurt my very own grandchildren. Completely ridiculous!”
Lesko, who received her Arizona district’s particular election by a slim margin in 2018, does have a historical past of inflammatory statements, together with anti-vaccine rhetoric that preceded the COVID-19 pandemic. She just lately obtained Donald Trump’s endorsement for her 2022 re-election marketing campaign.