The only thing New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer would say Tuesday about the attempted terrorist attack in Garland, Texas Sunday was that it was “a very, very bad thing.”
The soon to be minority leader would say nothing more about it.
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, ranking member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, however, had more to say about the issue. She told The Daily Caller, “It looks like this is the first ISIL attack connection in the United States.”
She added, “It is extraordinarily serious and it is deeply concerning. I hope this is the only one, but I really think we need to be on the lookout and do those things that constitutionally protect the homeland.”
Two gunmen made their way to an event in Garland on Sunday where an art contest with drawings of the Islamic prophet Mohammed was shown. The two men exchanged fire with law enforcement and both attackers were killed on the scene outside the event. The Islamic state is claiming responsibility for the act.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, though, thinks it is too early to say ISIS was actually behind the attack.
“They claimed responsibility for a lot of things. I don’t know if they really did it,” he said.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin told TheDC the incident in Garland was “terrible—in terms of gunfire and loss of life. I’m sorry these acts of terrorism still occur in the United States.”
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz compared the attack in his home state to the 2011 Fort Hood attack perpetrated by Nidal Hassan, as well as the 2013 Boston bombing.
“We are grateful for the heroic actions of law enforcement that thwarted this attack and prevented what could have been a terrible loss of life, but it underscores the need for vigilance,” he told TheDC.
Criticizing the president for being unwilling to “effectively combat radical Islamic terrorism,” Cruz said. “Once again, as with Nidal Hassan and as with the Tsarnaev brothers we have radical Islamic terrorists the administration knew about and yet failed to connect the dots and prevent this act of terrorism.”
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham also believes ISIS had some influence in the attack. “I think it’s ISIS or ISIL inspired. The longer that ISIS goes as a winner in the Middle East, longer they’re able to hold territory and advanced their cause the more exposed we are here.”
The art event about Mohammed itself received criticism from some for intentionally trying to provoke a terrorist attack.
“At the end of the day this is a free-speech country. I would hope people would be responsible in their speech, but this doesn’t justify a terrorist attack so this is not the response,” Graham said.
Cruz explained, “It is always unacceptable for terrorists to engage in murder in response to speech in which they disagree. Under the first amendment, the answer to speech you disagree with is more speech and preventing the other side not taking up arms and to murder American citizens.”
Durbin, however, had another take, comparing the event to Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ.
“Well, clearly, it falls within the purview of freedom of speech, but I remember when there was an artist named Serrano who had an art exhibit involving caricatures of Jesus Christ that angered many Christians and I think he exercised his right to free speech,” he said. “But the reaction was predictable—that he went too far in the minds of many if not most Americans. Well, in this case there’s no excuse for violence, but when you initiate a provocation, to see how far it will go, I’m not sure if that is a responsible course of conduct.”