Minnesota senator confronts GOP colleague over "cruel" post on shootings

Rising threats against governmental leaders

Rising fig of threats against governmental leaders 01:36

Washington — Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota confronted GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah astatine the Capitol connected Monday implicit a societal media station astir the Minnesota lawmaker shootings, telling reporters, "I wanted him to cognize however overmuch symptom that caused me."

"I needed him to perceive from maine straight what interaction I deliberation his cruel connection had connected me, his colleague," Smith told reporters connected Monday. 

Smith said she was a person of Melissa Hortman, a Minnesota authorities lawmaker who was killed on with her husband, portion different authorities lawmaker and his woman were wounded successful targeted shootings connected Saturday. Lee posted connected X aft the shootings: "This is what happens When Marxists don't get their way."

Smith said she decided to face Lee astir the station due to the fact that of the symptom it caused her "and the different radical successful my authorities and I deliberation astir the country, who deliberation that this was a brutal attack."

"I deliberation excessively often successful the Senate, we speech to 1 different done different people, and I wanted him to perceive from maine straight what interaction I deliberation his actions had," she added.

Sen. Tina Smith listens arsenic Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters pursuing the play Democratic argumentation luncheon astatine the U.S. Capitol Building connected June 10, 2025, successful Washington, D.C.  Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images

The Minnesota Democrat's lawman main of unit Ed Shelleby besides sent an email to 1 of Lee's apical staffers, saying helium "exploited the execution of a beingness nationalist servant and her hubby to station immoderate sick burns astir Democrats ... Have you perfectly nary conscience?"

"It is important for your bureau to cognize overmuch further symptom you've caused connected an unspeakably horrific weekend," said the email, which CBS News obtained. "Why would you usage the awesome powerfulness of a United States Senator bureau to compound connected people's grief?" 

Smith, asked whether she had considered elevating the incidental to leadership, said she hadn't thought astir it, adding that "I anticipation that my talking with him volition origin him to deliberation much astir the hateful things that helium has been putting retired connected his idiosyncratic X relationship that truly should person nary spot successful our nationalist discourse."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke astir Lee's station connected the Senate level Monday, saying helium was "deeply disappointed and sickened to spot a subordinate of this enclosure usage the calamity successful Minnesota to instrumentality inexpensive governmental shots astatine the different broadside connected societal media, and hazard escalating a perilous moment."

"What the elder legislator from Utah posted aft the shooting was reckless and beneath the dignity of his office," Schumer said, urging Lee to instrumentality down his posts. 

Lee did not respond to questions from reporters astir his speech with Smith astatine the Capitol connected Monday. Smith, asked astir Lee's reaction, said, "Honestly, helium seemed a small amazed to beryllium confronted."