Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) fired back at Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) after he appeared to compare her to the suspect in a mass shooting in Illinois.
On Tuesday, Swalwell posted a tweet showing a photo of Boebert holding a gun next to a photo of the suspected gunman, Robert Crimo III.
“Let’s start drawing straight lines,” Swalwell wrote.
Let’s start drawing straight lines. pic.twitter.com/md1xKqoo6O
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) July 5, 2022
Crimo allegedly killed six people and wounded dozens more during the Highland Park, Illinois, July Fourth parade.
During an interview with Fox News, Boebert told the outlet she understands “that Eric Swalwell isn’t a fan of our Constitutional rights and is desperate to distract from his repeated political failures, but the only straight line that needs to be drawn is from Eric Swalwell to Fang Fang to the Chinese Communist Party.”
She continued, “I will make sure that line gets drawn when we take back the House.”
Boebert explained law-abiding gun owners “won’t be smeared and disarmed every time a California failed presidential candidate rolls out of bed with a Chinese spy and tries to blame us for the conduct of others.”
In an email to Fox News, Swalwell’s communications director, Jessica Gail, claimed that “no elected leader in America fetishizes a dangerous person’s access to military-style weapons more than Rep. Boebert.”
She added, “And we are not going to stop calling her and her pro-killer colleagues out.”
Boebert is not the only Republican to receive criticism amid the shooting.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) received backlash after questioning when the nation would “have an honest conversation about drug abuse, mental illness, and SSRI’s???”
When are we going to have an honest conversation about drug abuse, mental illness, and SSRI’s???
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) July 5, 2022
And deadly side effects.
Are we really going to keep pretending?
Or covering for Big Pharma?
Because I’m absolutely done with the political plays on this BS. pic.twitter.com/8SkNpSOYWW
She added, “And deadly side effects. Are we really going to keep pretending? Or covering for Big Pharma? Because I’m absolutely done with the political plays on this BS.”
Several critics were quick to comment on the tweet.
Fixed it for you. https://t.co/C5j3Sx542P pic.twitter.com/rQQclfsTq2
— David Moscrop (@David_Moscrop) July 5, 2022
First let’s talk about politicians who run ads fetishizing assault weapons, politicians who can only retain power by demonizing Americans who disagree w them.
— Billy Ray (@BillyRay5229) July 5, 2022
You & @laurenboebert pull that trigger every fucking day, Lady.
This is on u.
I’m all in on @Marcus4Georgia https://t.co/jT9sddhPLv
When are we going to have an honest conversation about your mental illness Marj???
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) July 5, 2022
It is time to discuss the possibility that you pose a similar risk and should not be in possession of a gun.
Are we really going to keep pretending?
Because I’m absolutely done with your BS. https://t.co/DXRh14ATyu
Why do you continue to defend rampant gun violence. It is past time for substantive gun safety laws. When will the Republican Party break with the death cult that is the @NRA. #GunSafetyNOW https://t.co/ED04eIoYAY
— Alexander S. Vindman ❎ (@AVindman) July 5, 2022
CNN reported Crimo has not yet been formally charged in the shooting.