Liz Cheney Blames Buffalo Shooter Attack on GOP ‘Enabling White Racism’
'The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism'
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Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) has blamed Republican leaders for the mass shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., claiming they enabled white racism.
Just days after Payton Gendron allegedly went on a shooting spree at a grocery store, killing ten people and injuring three – most of whom were black – Cheney took to Twitter to point a finger at her fellow Republicans.
"The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy, and anti-semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse," Cheney posted.
"@GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them."
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) May 16, 2022
The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy, and anti-semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse. @GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them.
Cheney failed to specify exactly who she meant or what she meant by this.
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But House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) was described Sunday by the Washington Post as "echoing the racist ‘great replacement’ theory" that Gendron reportedly referenced in a lengthy manifesto.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) who, along with Cheney, is one of two Republicans on the House January 6 commission, also accused Stefanik of promoting the theory in a Saturday tweet in which he shared a September Newsweek article about criticism leveled at Stefanik's Facebook ads.
Stefanik, who took Cheney's spot as the number three House Republican one year ago, pushed back against the accusations Monday morning, sharing a statement from her team.
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"Any implication or attempt to blame the heinous shooting in Buffalo on the Congresswoman is a new disgusting low for the Left, their Never Trump allies, and the sycophant stenographers in the media," the statement said.
"The shooting was an act of evil and the criminal should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
"Despite sickening and false reporting, Congresswoman Stefanik has never advocated for any racist position or made a racist statement."
Joe Biden condemned what he described as an "abhorrent" act.
"We are investigating this incident as both a hate crime and a case of racially-motivated violent extremism," said Stephen Belongia, from the FBI's Buffalo office, adding there was evidence of "racial animosity."
CBS News reported that the attacker shouted racial slurs during the shooting and suggested that he had a racial slur written on his weapon.
He also apparently posted a manifesto online which included racist language and ideas.
The suspect is believed to have driven for some 200 miles to reach the predominantly black area of the city.
Three people were shot dead in the car park and the other seven were killed inside the supermarket, police said.
Most of the victims were black.
"He exited his vehicle. He was very heavily armed. He had tactical gear. He had a tactical helmet on. He had a camera that he was live-streaming what he was doing," Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told reporters.
