![CNN's Brianna Keilar asks Sen. Jon Tester whether Democrats' rhetoric contributed to the would-be Kavanaugh assassin [Screenshot CNN's New Day']](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-09-at-10.40.04-AM-e1654785702427.png "CNN's Brianna Keilar asks Sen. Jon Tester whether Democrats' rhetoric contributed to the would-be Kavanaugh assassin [Screenshot CNN's New Day']")
CNN’s Brianna Keilar questioned Thursday whether rhetoric coming from the Democrats had anything to do with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s potential assassin.
Speaking to Democratic Montana Sen. Jon Tester on “New Day,” Keilar asked for Tester’s reaction to the situation.
“It is absolutely unacceptable what transpired there,” Tester said. “Unfortunately, threats to public officials are happening far too often.”
“We have got to take this stuff very, very seriously. And folks need to be punished to the full extent of the law. Truth is, public service is very important in this country, and we can’t have intimidation that will prevent people from being able to serve this country in positions from school board to president of the United States and everything in between.”
Keilar asked Tester whether he believes “members of your own party be better when it comes to their rhetoric?” after Republicans blamed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for inciting violence for comments he made in 2020.
“The Senate unanimously passed a bill to protect justices and their families, but House Democrats have not moved forward on that,” Keilar said. “And you’ve heard the comments from our own Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer. Should members of your party be more forceful, should they be better with their rhetoric here?” (RELATED: NYT Front Page Omits Attempted Assassination Of Kavanaugh)
“Well, absolutely,” Tester said. “I mean, you can say that on every issue that comes down the pike, that we can do better in getting the message out that the American people need to hear.”
An armed man from California was arrested Wednesday near Kavanaugh’s home after he reportedly told police he intended to kill the judge. The would-be assassin was armed with a handgun, a knife and pepper spray when he was arrested early Wednesday morning. The man was reportedly angered over the likely overturning of Roe v. Wade and the string of recent mass shootings.
Republicans took to Twitter following the news and blamed, in part, rhetoric from Schumer.
While speaking to a crowd of abortion rights activists in 2020, Schumer threatened both Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch.
“I want to tell you, Gorsuch; I want to tell you, Kavanaugh; You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,” Schumer said at the time.
Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said Schumer blatantly “called for violence” and the “armed lunatic who showed up at Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home was simply following orders.”
Chuck Schumer called for this violence. The armed lunatic who showed up at Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home was simply following orders. Justice cannot be served under the threat of mob violence. https://t.co/cZ3OE4QbFh pic.twitter.com/FDLbzdXdBW
— Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) June 8, 2022
Republican Georgia Rep. called Schumer’s comments “disturbing” and said there is a double standard.
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called on “Biden and the Dems…to stop their irresponsible and incendiary rhetoric on Roe and condemn the violence coming from their supporters.”