Sen. Tina Smith confronts Sen. Mike Lee over MN lawmaker shooting comments

Misinformation surrounding Vance Boelter in lawmaker shootings

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (FOX 9) - U.S. Sen. Tina Smith confronted Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on Monday over his social media posts that blamed the Minnesota lawmaker shootings on "Marxists."

Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home on June 14. The suspected shooter, Vance Boelter, also shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. Boelter allegedly had a hit list including lawmakers' names. Among them was Sen. Smith.

Smith confronts Lee

Sen. Tina Smith confronting Sen. Mike Lee in the hallway on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Supplied)

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What happened:

Smith, who was on suspect Vance Boelter's hit list and was friends with the late Rep. Hortman who was killed, confronted Lee, a Republican, in the hallway by the Senate floor Monday evening.

"I wanted him to know how much pain that caused me and the other people in my state, and I think around the country, who think that this was a brutal attack," Smith told reporters afterward, according to Politico. "I don’t know whether Senator Lee thought fully through what it was — you have to ask him — but I needed him to hear from me directly what impact I think his cruel statement had on me, his colleague."

Charges reveal new details in lawmaker shootings

Vance Boelter is being held in federal custody on charges of stalking and murder in the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers. Charging documents detail Boelter visited two other lawmaker homes in between the shootings. FOX 9's Bill Keller has more on the story.

Meanwhile, one of Smith's aides wrote an email to Lee's staff criticizing the senator for his statements following the shootings, Politico reports.

What Lee said:

In two separate posts on X, Lee said on Sunday, "This is what happens When Marxists don’t get their way", along with a photo of the shooting suspect authorities shared during the manhunt for him. He then posted a second with photos of the suspect, saying "Nightmare on Waltz Street," appearing to be referencing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat.

Lee has faced criticism in the wake of the posts online.

Sen. Tina Smith was on Vance Boelter's list of lawmakers [FULL INTERVIEW]

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith spoke with FOX 9 on Sunday morning about the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers, Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Hoffman, and their spouses, saying her name was on suspect Vance Boelter's manifesto, noting she got protection early Saturday morning. She also shared fond memories of Hortman, noting she was with her on Friday night, hours before the fatal shooting.

Others criticized for blaming Walz, Democrats

Dig deeper:

Lee isn't the only person who has been criticized for their comments blaming Democrats for the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses.

The Minnesota DFL Party on Monday released a statement condemning Minnesota Rep. Duane Quam, a Republican, for his post suggesting the suspect's wife interned for Gov. Walz.

"No one who is using the murder of Melissa Hortman to spread this heinous lie belongs anywhere near the Minnesota Legislature," said Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom. "The shooter’s wife never interned for Governor Walz, and that lie was debunked long before Rep. Quam chose to spread it. These lies are disrespectful to all who are grieving and beneath the dignity of a state legislator."

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