The shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk threatens to bring the already hostile relationship between Democrats and Republicans in Congress to a breaking point.
Why it matters: Shouting matches on the House floor, tirades on social media and accusations of complicity in murder — while not new to Congress — rarely occur with such intensity and in such rapid succession.
- Some of the most combative, conflict-prone members are promising only to increase the volatility and severity of their attacks on colleagues.
- "I'm going to double down on this," Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said Thursday. "I'm gonna be louder than I've ever been until this sh*t stops."
Driving the news: Just after a moment of silence for Kirk on the House floor Wednesday, as reports were surfacing that the 31-year-old had died, the tensions and anger erupted.
- Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) requested a moment of prayer for Kirk, but Democrats objected to what they said would be a breach of protocol.
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who worked with Kirk at Turning Point USA, yelled at her Democratic colleagues: "You caused this!"
- Democrats also shouted for Republicans to recognize a shooting that happened concurrently at a high school in Colorado and to pass gun control laws.
Zoom in: Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), another close Kirk ally, caused a particular stir on Capitol Hill with a series of posts and outbursts related to the shooting.
- Van Orden who was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and has a history of angry outbursts, repeatedly snapped at reporters and accused the mainstream press and Democrats of being responsible for the shooting.
- In dozens of posts about the shooting on X, Van Orden made references to civil war and "brown shirts," said the New York Times is "comprised of scum" and said the left is "about to get a Right."
What they're saying: Lawmakers in both parties expressed disgust at how some of their colleagues have handled themselves in the aftermath of the shooting.
- "I'm not going to point the fingers at either party, both parties have guilt," said Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.). "So hopefully we can, we can take a tragedy like this and try to all do better."
- "When there's a moment of silence, everyone should conduct themselves respectfully," one House Democrat said of their Democratic colleagues.
The intrigue: Even in the moments leading up to the shooting, members were loudly berating each other on the floor and sniping at each other on social media.
- Mace erupted on the House floor after Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) listed lip filler, "boob jobs" and botox as examples of "gender-affirming care" and said "lots" of House members have undergone such procedures.
- "You are absolutely ridiculous," Mace screamed, following up in a post on X addressed to Jacobs saying: "PS- I have a good surgeon if you ever want to get your nose done."
- Jacobs, who is Jewish, replied, "going with the Jewish nose joke ... very creative (and also very antisemitic)." Mace spokesperson Sydney Long responded in a statement to Axios, "It's actually antisemitic to think that every comment about a nose is about a Jew."
Yes, but: Jacobs has privately discouraged colleagues from trying to censure Mace for her post, two sources familiar with the matter told Axios.
- Democrats also expressed skepticism that a censure effort will be pursued against Van Orden for his social media rant.
- "If you were going to do that, the list would be long. Too long," said Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio). "And if you're trying to de-escalate, you de-escalate and move on."
The bottom line: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he is "encouraging members to walk in the dignity of their office and treat one another with dignity and respect."
- Said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.): "This moment requires leadership that brings the American people together as opposed to trying to further divide us."
- Mace, for her part, continued to blame Democrats. "The left, the Democrat Party, has allowed this stuff, and I'm f**king sick of it," she told reporters.
