Greene, Collins mark anniversary of Trump rally shooting, denounce political violence

Reps. Green, Collins on Trump rally shooting anniversary

Marking one year since a deadly shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers gathered Tuesday to denounce political violence and what they called a growing climate of hate-fueled threats in American politics.

WASHINGTON - Marking one year since a deadly shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers gathered on Monday to denounce political violence and what they called a growing climate of hate-fueled threats in American politics.

Marjorie Taylor Green on rally shooting

What they're saying:

Standing alongside her Republican colleagues, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia called for a bipartisan stand against politically motivated violence, pointing to the 2024 rally shooting that left one man dead and several injured.

"We've all joined together to denounce hate speech, political hate speech that has deadly consequences," Greene said. "A year ago, the world was outraged after they saw President Trump shot at the rally in Butler, PA, and we still mourn the life of Corey Comparator and pray for his family."

Greene, who has been the subject of multiple threats and security incidents, including one in which a syringe was left in her mailbox, said the issue is not partisan.

"This goes across the aisle both ways, and I’m really grateful to be standing here with my colleagues that are saying enough of this," she said. "There is no place for political violence… It happens in headlines, social media posts, campaign literature, and rhetoric going across the aisle."

She also called attention to the strain placed on Capitol Police, who she said are overwhelmed with threats against lawmakers and are operating with limited resources.

"I encourage you, press, to talk to them," Greene said. "They are constantly having to investigate death threats that come for me and other members of Congress."

Greene concluded her remarks by crediting divine intervention with saving Trump’s life. "God saved President Trump's life in Butler, PA," she said. "He knows it, and he says it frequently."

Rep. Mike Collins criticizes Obama administration

Dig deeper:

Rep. Mike Collins, also of Georgia, echoed Greene’s call for reflection, framing the shooting as the result of long-standing cultural and political trends.

"It has been one year since they tried to kill our president," Collins said. "The culture of lawlessness and violence… started under the Obama administration when they decided to illegally investigate conservative groups."

He also criticized the Biden administration for what he described as enabling public unrest.

"Example: summer of love, where rioters were out there burning police stations, assaulting officers, taking over our cities," Collins said. "They even paid for their bail."

Citing a "morality problem," Collins argued the country has lost its sense of the sanctity of life and spiritual direction.

"We don't look to the government. We're supposed to look towards God for our answers," he said. "What happened in Butler is an example of the consequences of this Democrat rhetoric. I thank the good Lord for protecting President Trump."

Trump's attempted assassination 

The backstory:

One year after the assassination attempt at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, investigations, reforms and lingering questions continue as the event’s impact reverberates.

The July 13, 2024, attack left 20-year-old gunman Michael Thomas Crooks dead, shot by a Secret Service counter-sniper, after he launched eight rounds from a rooftop, grazing Trump in the ear and killing attendee Corey Comperatore. Two others were wounded.

A Senate and Government Accountability Office review uncovered significant lapses in security planning. Investigators found unguarded sightlines and patchy interagency communication, including failure to secure a rooftop positioned 157 yards from the stage. Only six temporary suspensions followed the findings. Former director Kim Cheatle resigned; Sean Curran has stepped in, and the agency has formed an Aviation Division and upgraded equipment.

Despite reforms, "many questions persist," including Crooks’s motives and why clear security risks were overlooked. Victims David Dutch and James Copenhaver have criticized the agency’s "inadequate security measures" and are considering legal action.