Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) called on elected officials to abandon “hyperbolic threats about what is at stake in this election” in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
In a multi-post thread on social platform .”
“In this light, the rise in politically motivated violence in America is, unfortunately, not surprising,” Golden said. he wrote in X.
Golden called on elected officials to use this moment to change the way they talk about their opponents.
“Continuing on this path would be disastrous,” Golden said in a subsequent post. “This is the time for elected officials and candidates for political office to lead us on a better path toward the hopeful future Americans want and deserve.”
“We can start by abandoning hyperbolic threats about what’s at stake in this election,” he continued in a separate post. “It should not be misleadingly portrayed as a struggle between democracy or authoritarianism, or a battle against fascists or socialists bent on destroying America. These are dangerous lies.”
Golden’s statement comes after Trump was the target of what authorities call an assassination attempt, prompting Secret Service officials to remove the former president from the stage at his rally in Pennsylvania. Trump’s ear was bloody, but his family said shortly after the incident that Trump would be fine.
At the time of Golden’s post, not much was known about the alleged shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. Authorities later said it appeared he was acting alone and his motive was still unknown as of Sunday night.
Public officials also called for a reduction in rhetoric.
Biden called for unity during his prime-time address Sunday, urging Americans to resolve their differences “at the ballot box, not with bullets.”
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