Tim Miller returns with a disturbing update on the targeted political assassination of Minnesota Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman and the attempted assassination of another Democratic lawmaker. The suspect, Vance Boulter, impersonated a police officer, arrived in a fake cop vehicle, and executed a horrifying plan that appears clearly politically motivated—targeting Democrats including Governor Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
But instead of facing this reality, prominent voices on the far right—including Elon Musk, Charlie Kirk, Mike Cernovich, and even U.S. Senator Mike Lee—have pushed a conspiracy theory suggesting the killer was somehow motivated by left-wing grievance. Tim breaks down how this false narrative spread like wildfire and what it reveals about the state of right-wing media, social platforms, and our broken political discourse.
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The first thing that crossed my mind once the name of the assassinated politicians were released was to run to Wikipedia and find out whether or not either of them was Jewish, because given everything that's been going on in the country these last few weeks that was a real possibility.
And the guy who whacked Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer was actually Mr. Pelosi's lover so it was just a lover's spat. Why are people so eager to ignore what is plainly in front of them in favor of some farfetched "explanation?"
Tim, I am 76 years old, grew up in a Republican family. My parents voted for Nixon but found President Kennedy a very inspiring president. They then were quite disappointed with Nixon during Watergate. I have been registered as Independent, Republican & now Democrat. Please don’t suggest that most of us who are now Democrats or progressive Independents to be the “Left”. MAGA Republicans aren’t the “Right” either. They are extremists, perhaps antisocial extremists. They may be social within their exclusive groups. They may think they are Christian, but they are not that either. Christ was crucified for opposing much of what they promote.
Thank you, Tim. As a Canadian with many American family and friends, I always follow American news. I cannot understand the fervour that many Americans bring to their political views. It seems to me that it is not just about attitude towards guns and the proliferation of weapons that make assassinations (and attempts) more frequent, but the right wing propaganda machine that encourages hate and the attitude that someone with thinks differently than oneself is "the enemy". It is really sick.
My rule is to wait for releases from the valid authorities regardless of outlet, but as most people get their "information' from youtube, tiktok, etc. this will only get worse, especially as most news outlets are being replaced with entertainment because the "press" is now owned by investors who demand a ROI and news rooms are a cost center and so they are cut to the bone and as we've seen, they refuse to hold those in power accountable.
Do we have to give these ignorant mentally ill folks any attention? Seriously, is it dangerous not to ignore them? They need help; not attention.
Now that he's been caught alive and is about to spill his rotten MAGA guts, they'll have to have a fully revised story just 24 hours later. Don't worry: the faithful will lap it up like a dog lapping up its sick.
It's worth noting that the Minnesota House was tied, and the Senate has a Democratic majority by one senator. So that explains why he started with these two on his list (a senator and house rep) before a "big hit" like Walz. After the assassination, the Minnesota House is now officially a Republican majority. So in addition to the goal of killing, he accomplished at least one of his political goals.
Worth also noting, on a more positive note and point of pride, after the assassination the governor urged everyone to stay home from No Kings Day in MN, and we still had 30,000 people show up.
Would be interested to hear/read Will Sommers' take on how MAGA is reacting.
My 24-yr-old son, currently serving in the military, had the same belief about the shooter being a Democrat, based on something he heard from whatever he’s listening to these days.
This in a microcosm is what has led us to the MAGA world we are in: the right-wing media gets lies running halfway around the world before the truth even gets its sneakers on. Biden focused on governing and believed that good policies would generate good news. That's not the world we live in anymore, where algorithms deliver to each individual only the bespoke lies they most desperately want to hear. I hate Steve Bannon but he's the man who gets it. This doesn't end until we have an answer to it.
Thank you Tim; wise words
Spinning the truth into something disgusting? Full employment for maga content providers!
Kind of mind boggling the hoops they jump through to turn this sad event into a dark conspiracy and ignore creepier things like trump's alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein...
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU08/20250227/117951/HHRG-119-JU08-20250227-SD006-U6.pdf
Another way to look at it- it’s also common for groups who’ve been scapegoated also are hoping perp is not from their identity group. That seems reasonable.
go back and read a biography of Kyle Rittenhouse the 18 year old the killed some people in Kenosha WI in 2020 and whats happened to him since then. The way that he was lionized by MAGA media and politicians and a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Largo. The excitement around killing protesters or angry citizens in the streets is unbelievable. The volume, intensity and duration of this in MAGA world is unreal. Mainstream America really isn't up to speed on this. It is a fascist death and violence cult
The way it's both common and completely acceptable among MAGA types to joke about running down protesters would be astonishing if MAGA politicians hadn't spent years nurturing the idea.
yep...I mean not long ago a person talking like that at work would have been a freak just about anywhere in the country...now that's the whole room in about half the country
Everyone is clear Trump is going to pardon this guy right?
nope not this time....Pam Bondi's DOJ and Kash Petals FBI probably won't even investigate this, so no Federal Charges. Presidents can't pardon somebody brought up and convicted in State Court.
It's chilling to have it brought home again and again, that to MAGA types those they oppose don't exist as actual living people deserving of the most basic decency, empathy or compassion. They want the country to be just for themselves, no room for any diversity or dissent, and they're willing to use any means possible to get what they want. It's been planned for years and the plan is being carried out with ruthless efficiency. Good luck America.
KARE 11, the Minneapolis TV station covering this sadness well, said Vance Boelter caught in Sibley County 10 pm Sunday, had three AK-47s, photo of him at an angle, not the frontal view seen before
*FULL ARTICLE at kare11.com/article/news/local/man-accused-of-killing-minnesota-lawmaker-arrested/89-dc6eee88-285b-4990-88e2-af11ce7c2883
*VIDEO at youtube as "FULL COVERAGE: Vance Boelter arrested in shootings of 2 Minnesota lawmakers, spouse" 376K subscriber
TEARDROPS (Minnesota memorial)
"When Joe Geary heard the news, he got right to work and built something from his heart
“They’re called teardrop dreamcatchers that are teardrops of life and hopefully gives people an opportunity to come here, and sit, and reflect, and talk,” Geary said.
Geary said he’s a leader in the Ojibwe community and has created more memorials than he would like.
“It’s healing, healing for our family, healing for others,” he said. “Instead of becoming divisive, we work together, and work toward common good things.”
According to the Star Tribune:
"An ABC News reporter asked the president Sunday morning whether he would call Walz.
“Well, it’s a terrible thing. I think he’s a terrible governor,” ABC News reported Trump said. “I think he’s a grossly incompetent person. But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too.”
Teddy Tschann, a spokesman for Walz, said Sunday afternoon that Trump hadn’t called Walz, but former President Joe Biden called “right away” on Saturday."
What kind of evil, despicable, hate-filled sociopath reacts this way??????? Every time we get a report of yet another atrocious example of who he is, I want to scream at the few people I still communicate w/ who support him, "YOU DID THIS! The blood of every single person who is suffering and dying b/c of him is on YOUR hands!" I want to literally shove it in their faces.
Facts don't matter. They have a big enough media megaphone that their narrative can carry the day. The GOP spent four decades fighting the "left-wing media" and it worked.
Just repeat the lies often enough and they will become 'facts' to the masses.
MAGA propaganda not MAGA media.
I also wish you didn’t have to point this stuff out (esp the tendency to hoard our empathy for our side, not endorsed here either, to be clear) but I appreciate your words and your time in airing this on the weekend - keep on bringing it to the light and let people see what’s out there.
Well, they have to do this; they have to spin this narrative that Dems are bad and they are good because facing the alternative is unthinkable.
Thats why so many Nazis fought to the bitter end, because holding onto their sick fantasy was that important to their mental self image.
If and when it is shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was MAGA, they will come up with some insane conspiracy theory that "proves" that isn't true.
It's why ideologies like this cannot be reasoned with; they cannot be bargained with, you cannot compromise with them, you must root them out, stem and all, or be swallowed by them entirely.
Tim, these conspiracies are not coming from the fever swamp of the right. This is Republican orthodoxy. It is the party line. There is no far right, or MAGA right. It's just the Republican party.
Musk is probably trying to really get back into Trumps heart! It's very disheartening and we cannot let it overtake the very real stand "NO KINGS" day made.
Money doesn't make you smart. They are only interested dividing the country for profit and power.
Tim, thanks for your ability to share information with empathy and compassion. Melisa and her husband were both murdered. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette are still in the hospital. A murderer is still loose in MN. Rather than feeling any kind of empathy, those under MAGA influence of course, seek to shift blame and throw out hateful lies. We shouldn’t be surprised they can’t believe their lying eyes. Their guy belittled women, mocked the disabled and veterans, and lies so much truth is optional, hate is not. We can only hope some under influence will wake up. The 3.5% are showing up and they can join us.
January 6th -- a peaceful tourist day
The MAGA far right spreading such outrageous disinformation about the suspect was absolutely 100% predictable. From the 2020 "stolen election" lie on down, this is what they do. Politics is a zero sum game to them and has been for some time. If reality doesn't suit their narrative, they invent their own reality and spread it as far and wide as they can -- and with a vast and eager right wing media ecosystem, their reach is extensive and nearly immediate.
A lie is always more effective when a bit of fact is mixed in. They saw their "opening" when it was reported that the suspect, Vance Boelter, once worked for a NONPARTISAN state governor organization while Tim Walz was governor. Voila, they can twist this into "the suspect worked for Tim Walz! He must be a Democrat!" Which is not the case at all (people of all political stripes work for that organization, and the governor is not in charge of the organization) but now the lie is already off and running. Much more pertinent information -- the suspect is a right wing Evangelical Christian and a MAGA Trump voter, is strongly anti-abortion rights and anti-LGBTQ rights, and his hit list only had Democrats and abortion rights people on it -- is completely ignored, and "the assassin is a Democrat who works for Tim Walz" becomes the MAGA reality.
My brother who’s deep in the right wing media sphere shared these talking points with me within 12 hours of the shootings. It went out really fast.
What a meaningful piece, Tim. Asking us to reflect is good.
The GOP has the reputation of lying now. No one believes anything they say. The first thing to do when they make statements is to search for the facts because you know nothing they have said is true. The info on this murder is easily found by a google search. He is a Trump supporter and his wife was complicit. She was arrested yesterday at a convience store with weapons, passports and cash. She also had other family members with her. This info was readily available on the internet.
It's hard to know sometimes these days what to believe, but I've read several reports that the wife was questioned but not charged.
Why did it take 5 hours for LEO to warn the others on the list ? That is absurd with this guy being loose at the time.
Remember how quickly they caught Luigi ( still thinking he was et up) .
Who has been backing this dude, who were his accomplices? I have tons of questions! I don’t believe he was acting alone.
Tim and/or editors, there appears to be a troll in the comments named Carrie. Most likely a bot.
When I heard the shooter had No Kings posters in his car, I was confused. Was I initially worried the shooter was some left-wing lunatic? Yes. Was I relieved to find out he was a right-wing lunatic? Yes. Did either of those two thoughts have any impact on whether he turned out to be right-wing or left-wing? No.
There are reasons he might have had them, including he saw a bunch of them in his local coffee shop or something and thought he'd remove them so that no one would know where and when to go to a protest.
Tim, I want to thank you for sharing your inner self with us. You are not alone in your feelings and sentiments. You , and many in this world, feel these sentiments because they believe in humanity. The depraved individuals you mentioned do not. The democrats have espoused this core belief as far back as FDR. Social security, Medicare and Civil rights were a product of this thinking. These things are good things for most people but inexplicably not for all. The evil, that is the intrinsic truth throughout history, is that men want to dominate other men and white men want to dominate or eliminate the other races. I'm sure there are experts with possible explanations so I'll leave it to them. In the beginning of our country's history this dynamic was in full force. Just ask the Indians and the Blacks. White supremacy is fueling this violence. Some things never changed. This won't change until men change.
I feel so thankful that we have Tim and the other columnists of The Bulwark to educate and lay bare the horrific and deplorable statements and actions of Trump, his sycophants, and MAGA. It’s such a dark time but Tim is out there with his bravery.
I already see people on Next Door repeating that the man is a Democrat. MAGA has a dark, lying heart.
How indeed do you live in a society where this sort of stuff is promulgated. A dark place - you’re right. Thanks, Tim, for your comments.
Thank you for continuing to be a truth-teller. Thank you for the counter-propaganda.
The mass hysteria among the cult is spreading. Maybe they are feeling sad, anxious, and threatened, just like Trump?
Thanks Tim.
Thank you, Tim, for your analysis and your reminder that empathy and grief should be our first and only reaction. I appreciate your honesty about how it is easy to take sides--I do it too--and that is NOT a useful response by any measure.
All that said, happy father's day. And I gotta say it--I LOVE, LOVE the shirt!
Brain worms or not (looking at you, James Woods), those that are actually in touch with reality know one thing: MAGA can't let the curtain fall. The veil has to be maintained. Once the mass delusion is broken, they're over. And all these guys know it.
that charlie kirk tweet has me feeling physically sick. That is so insane
edit: oh it got worse. all of them
I'm sick to my stomach. Two people are dead; two in the hospital. And all these people can do is make up and spread lies instead of condemning violence. Senator Lee and every other elected official who spread lies should be removed from office and never hold office again.
I find it telling that the immediate response of some on the maga-right is to assume this horrific event was about going after political rivals…they are the only ones who do this as a matter of course!
The proper response is to condemn the actions of the assassin. It is unconscionable for Sen Lee and MAGA thought leaders to cover for the assassin by denying his political philosophy and motivation. They should be stating clearly and unequivocally that political violence is not what their movement is about. Anything less will serve only to embolden others.
and thank god he could get a gun
But it is what their movement is about. They prove it by covering up the truth and as such, encouraging more of it.
That is definitely the message they are sending. Loud and clear.
Tim , Dana Bash and her giant pale gums stopped just short of telling Alex Padilla that he should apologize for rushing the stage. So facts are whatever anymore
Wilhoits Law: Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.
Frank Wilhoit
it's so important that you share this kind of stuff - we need to be aware of the psychological warfare so that we do not stay in are bubbles, but yet know what we are up against. It's hard to share, its so heart-breaking. This really is political idolatry. We don't hate but we must call it what it is - a cult mindset. And let's learn how to fight against it.
Since their accusations are often confessions, makes you wonder what they've been up to.
So Vance Luther Boelter was some business person appointed to a non-partisan state advisory board by Tim Walls in 2019, and now repugnantans are leaping out of their own bodies to claim that he is a democratic "terrorist" WHILE people that knew him claimed he voted for TACO TRUMPO.
What group of myopic shit-for-brains even would attempt such despicable horseshit? Anyone?
Tim, your humanity wins out, as usual ❤️ The emotions are in your voice, your eyes. May the world be better.
Please have a wonderful Fathers Day! All this weight will be around again tomorrow, and we can all continue trying to lift together. Blessings to your family
I only listened, but you can hear the sadness in his voice.
Stochastic terrorism:.... refers to the public demonization of a person or group, often through inflammatory rhetoric, that incites violence from an unpredictable individual or group of individuals, while allowing the instigator to plausibly deny responsibility. The term highlights how hateful rhetoric, amplified by various media, can create a climate of fear and increase the likelihood of violence, even if the original message doesn't explicitly call for it.
and thank god he could get a gun
or two or three guns...
or as many as he wanted. one of our country's tragic trajectories.
For every event which happens in the real physical world, there are an infinite number of abstract interpretations and for each interpretation there are an infinite number of abstract refutations. If you aren't concretely connected to the real world, but live in abstractions, anything can be true and you're only limited by what you wish to be true. In that world you are always right and that's what really matters: facts be damned.
This ring doorbell photo is extremely scary. Expressionless face in profile, white rubber scalp cover, black uniform garb, arm raised aiming a metal flashlight to see into the house. This is what we've seen in movies with criminal psycho's. But this is real, OMG.
and thank god he could get a gun
To me it looks like he's wearing a full mask. Aside from unrealistic wrinkles, you can also see where it stops at the back of his neckline.
Terrifying either way, no?
Creepy as hell! Also scary is that these days ICE/law enfocement officers are roaming without badges and official uniforms so can't even tell if they're legit.
And it seems he has no actual law or private security background whatsoever, as his bio claims. But rather a long career in "food service industry". Use your imagination there. His Linked In data is bogus, and his Praetorian Guard Private Security Co web site lists an address that is divorce law firm. The phone number goes to a cellphone, and there are no verifiable past client references. This guy is delusional, is killing people and so far, on the lam. Also, per part time roommate, was recently working at a funeral home. A funeral home.
Hope they catch him soon. Though I have a feeling he'll take the coward's way out and commit suicide before he's apprehended (and may take out some LEOs on his way out).
I've been thinking the same, yeah. I hope no cops get hurt, but he seems insane enough to want to have his "stand-off".
I really appreciated this entire video. I found it was done in a way that I didn’t become defensive but instead could hear your request for empathy and self-reflection. Thank you.
And right above this you have a Michael Steele podcast having a conversation about how to remake the Republican Party once Trump is gone and how to get back to the ‘values’ of the old Republican Party. But this is the cesspool they have to work with. Good luck with remaking the Party even once Trump is gone.
MAGA needs to prove the rest of us are violent so they have an excuse
and thank god he could get a gun
yes, it's an old saying: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_best_defense_is_a_good_offense
I’m with you, Tim! I have the same thoughts and feelings when I hear these sorts of things. Even when I’ve caught myself and had this realization, it’s always felt gross. It makes me mad at myself for letting my lizard brain create these thoughts!
Transference much? MAGA is a Weak Evil Death Cult
I was wondering how MAGA was gonna spin this. I'm sure once they get into this killer's social media and find proof of being a Trumper, it will be quickly and accurately revealed because you've got Kash Patel on scene, right? (sarcasm)
Pretty remarkable stuff.
So when Boelter goes out and commits murder because of lies he's been told by rightwing media, will it ever dawn on him that he's been lied to when he finds out they're lying about him? No one, I imagine, will be more shocked that Boelter is a far left Marxist hired hitman of Governor Walz than Boelter himself. And granted it's a little late now, but maybe all of this nonsense can provide the assassin some clarity on what got him to this point?
and thank god he could get a gun
By many accounts, Speaker Hortman was the Nancy Pelosi of Minnesota. Not everyone identities with Nancy, I know, but whatever your tribe, she has been a phenom for her caucus. Hortman was an honest broker, respectful of those around her, and very well liked by her colleagues. Including those across the aisle. Also, an incredibly hard worker. So we lose this caliber of state speaker to the violence now infecting our political discourse? Grievance based behavior some people think is just new a way to "win". BTW, why does our country need to have more guns than people?
Yes! The guns . . . .
Remember when the Gov passed a TikTok ban and now a huge number of people live in a different reality?
Great sign at the no kings rally yesterday. FIGHT TRUTH DECAY. But how? When folks I know repost this shit what can I say that would even moderate their need to believe the lies let alone lead them to the truth?
Thanks for bringing up the reaction of hoping the bad stuff is coming from the other side. The news cycles belief that constant emotional stimulation of their audience is actual journalism helps us forget that investigations take time and finding out what really happened is more important than speculating on what might have happened. This encourages the propagation of nonsence masquerading as truth.
LOVE that!
"fight truth decay" !!
(-:
thanks
Totally agree. I am grief stricken that the cultural sickness of guns and lies and normalized extremism has brought us here. It’s a hard weekend here in Minnesota. And for pro-democracy humans anywhere.
I was mulling over your final thoughts, Tim. These people are trying to change the narrative. We can hear, and then ignore them. We focus on the tragedy and mourn and support the people suffering.
Tim, the Republicans continue to use the ignorance of some people to spread their lies as truth. Until, the vast majority (unfortunately, it won’t happen with everyone, as this is a sweeping generalization), realize that Republicans talk in lies, then they won’t stop using their lies to manipulate our values.
I am so glad you spoke out. The Republicans should be called out for their cruelty. Even though you were tagged with these awful tweets,I am so glad you used your position to speak out. You are a top quality human being and I wonder what type of spouse or parent these people are. We have a tendency to ignore vile comments. The comment from Mike Lee- a US Senator- is atrocious. He hasn’t learned Rick Wilson’s rule. Everything Trump touches dies. I bet he thinks he will become a Supreme Court Justice. God Bless the victim’s families.
Hasn’t Mike Lee generally been considered one of the more ‘normal’ Republicans? I know that’s a low sandbar which is constantly shifting.
He used to have his normal moments
Mmmm, I don't think so. He has been on my "watch this one he is crazy" list since 2021.
The night before the election, just before I left my local Dem HQ, people were trying to reassure me that the bad feeling I had about the coming results might not play out. Finally I looked at them and said, "But don't you get it? Even if we win, this country is in REALLY bad shape. Winning isn't going to change that." Every day just proves it more - even tho we lost!
True, but we're in far worse shape after Trump won. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good enough.
The actual news tells us that the legislation about undocumented immigrants that is being discussed was a compromise in which the law was changed to allow for only children of undocumented immigrants to be eligible for subsidized healthcare, instead of any undocumented immigrant, to get repubs to vote for it. A compromise, people!
A cynical take: they are compromising because they think the parents can be detained when they show up to register the kids or take the kids to a doctor visit.
Sounds like them.
I believe that when the Trump nightmare is over, our congress will have to make some laws regarding truth. I know that is very touchy with our first amendment, but you also cannot yell fire in a theater. I think elected officials, and news outlets should be held to a higher standard. The GOP lies and Fox ecosphere have done too much damage.
you cannot yell fire in a theater unless there is a fire. they lie all the time, and the lies endanger us all the time. not covered by the first amendment.
Hope you are right, but for now there is nothing that stops them. Something needs to.
Right. It's hard and takes a long time. Witness the Dominion lawsuit against FOX, which cost FOX almost $2 billion. Yet still the cult listens to F.
That's why they went overboard with the "supporting first amendment" crap. They never do of course, and demand people be imprisoned or deported for dissent.
The real purpose of all that was to make any lie, anytime, and then hide behind a claim of persecution for being fact-checked by the media.
I received a text yesterday from two family members stating that the suspect was a Democrat. I listened to C-Span’s WJ this morning and at least three Republican callers repeated the same lie.
Jill - there's a well-organized machine that promotes these false narratives. Likely several machines, actually. Opponents of a free society
The MAGA knuckleheads can talk themselves into anything. They are foaming at their mouths. It takes little to trigger them into lies about whatever happens in real time.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt relief; unfortunately, I usually assume that the violent actor is from the right, unless the victim is on the right; it’s probably from growing up with victims of political violence often being abortion clinics and the like. I would think any relief that’s felt would be caused by knowing how repellent political violence can be, I know that abortion clinic bombings and assassinations of abortion doctors repelled me from the pro-life movement when I was too young to really understand and develop actual reasons for being pro-choice. Knowing that political violence is the fastest way to drive someone away from your cause doesn’t seem that bad. Do some people see that relief as an implicit endorsement of the violence?
Trump and his imps have conditioned their followers to like violence, even expect it. And commit it.
The simplest point they don't acknowledge is the other lawmaker who was shot voted the opposite of the one assassinated.
I felt so encouraged after yesterday’s No Kings rallies, but this is just reminder of the deep social rot within the country. I don’t know if this country can survive with such a large percentage of Americans who are filled with so much rage and willful ignorance. And what is even worse are those who know better, but are feeding this social rot for their own benefit. Perdition to all of them.
They immediately made it about the lies surrounding the assassin and his ties to libs a fabrication so they will bury yesterdays joyous occasions and the huge failure of tRump bday embarrassment now it’s a lie that fits their narrative.
With you Tim. Plus subscriber. Keep up the good fight.
Is this really any different from what they did w/ J6? Up is down, night is day, etc. I continue to lack the ability to understand how so many people could end up so utterly divorced from their souls.
years of endless propaganda from F media et al
I suspect lead poisoning.
I agree with Tim's overall narrative -- but would like to emphasize that what we are currently seeing from the right wing is just another manifestation of the revolutionary zeal with which it operates.
For them it's about "winning" at all costs. Personal ethics no longer matter. Nor does a commitment to speaking truthfully. Ruthlessly smearing the opposition is the top priority -- and there is no bottom to how low they will stoop.
How should the pro-democracy movement respond to that? Yes, we should not also give up our own sense of ethics and compassion, but we also need to recognize what we are up against. That partly means to see both the forest and the trees.
The MAGA movement is copying the disinformation campaigns of authoritarian governments. Individual actors such as Mike Lee are merely foot soldiers in their army. Those foot soldiers are unlikely to change their behavior just because we wag our fingers at them. We might find it more productive to focus on cultivating a dialogue with the persuadable middle about the insidiousness of right-wing propaganda.
Steve - we could discuss "copying" versus "carrying out." The objective is the same for opponents of a free society, whether domestic or overseas
What I was trying to get at is that authoritarian regimes have developed pretty sophisticated campaigns against their own populations. Some of those regimes have reportedly used those techniques against the U.S. electorate or shared them with their Republican allies.
To what degree the Republicans are in the driver's seat or passenger seat strikes me as less important than that we are up against systemic efforts. All too often we tend to focus on the individual actors -- and try to use shame against them. I suspect that this technique mainly makes pro-democracy activists feel a sense of moral superiority. However, that doesn't strike me as the best recipe for effectively counteracting propaganda campaigns.
You're correct on all counts here, my friend. The interlocking/overlapping nature of online influencers is a relatively new problem for which we seem to have no organized counter move. Over my decades, I too have found that people aren't especially appreciative when I inform them of their erroneous thinking. Dang, I wuz just trying to help but my obvious correctness rarely turns them around... such ingrates 😉
So, wasn't critiquing your post - was seeking to amplify (to our readers here) your point about what we're up against being the same objective, with strategies flowing back'n'forth between across OAN-FOX-Stormfront-whatever Putin call his troll factories and influencers since the Wagner Group went rogue on him (et al). They all can observe the others' campaigns, methods, and impacts, then execute whatever each sees as best practices of the others. In our well-connected online world, they don't need a Slack channel. Might we say, collusion without collaboration?
I do think that effectively counteracting the propaganda calls for different approaches depending on the source & the technology being used to apply it. No one size fits all; part of what makes our task of preserving democracy so challenging! E.g., when possible to demonstrate some foreign influence on the communication, I believe more Americans may be willing to question it. But much of our propaganda is seen as domestically distributed; even a hybrid like Tucker Carlson is accepted as "one of us" even when he broadcasts state propaganda while physically IN Russia. This too is fairly novel in American discourse as far as I've seen during my awareness, all the way back to the Khrushchev years.
Shame is a topic for another discussion. I see how it affects my life, from all the way back to childhood. And how its diminishment as a social force has had some negative consequences. A double-edged force, certainly. And very challenging as to how it might be applied to accomplish good. Tricky.
Thank you, Tim and everyone at the Bulwark for your willingness to navigate these horrific and confusing times. You are a lifeline to sanity and hope.
I'm very concerned about domestic and foreign terrorism since the Trump administration has largely shut down investigating domestic and foreign terrorism. From my understanding, FBI counterterrorism investigations have been largely stopped and agents have been reassigned to investigate immigrants. Cybersecurity and cybercriminal investigators have been fired or placed on administrative leave.
The above actions leave us wide open to domestic violence and terrorism. And, the largely GOP elected officials refusal to condemn violent and divisive rhetoric is worrisome and immoral.
Tim being heartfelt and real makes me hopeful for America.
Another day, another example of itti-bitty shitty MAGA minds conjuring something insane to justify their ridiculous fantasies that only something dumber than a garden tomato would believe.
They do it because they know their hateful idiot sheep will believe it, or they do it because they believe it themselves and are PROUD to confirm their stupidity.
Condemn reality! Condemn education! Condemn science! Buy a bunch of Orange Taco bitcoins! In return, you'll get an actual clue like you've never had before!
It is a deep sickness. It’s incredibly frightening and infuriating. How can they live with themselves? I’m glad you came on. Everything is so dissociative that it’s good to have the Bulwark community. It’s more than a ratings thing here.
Please reach out to Matt Taylor who wrote the book: The Violent Take it By Force because this suspect was into a charismatic evangelical tradition called the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) same as Paula White (Trump's faith advisor) and Mike Johnson. Matt has so much insight into the rhetoric and belief systems of people in NAR. Bradley Onishi is also a great person to talk to about this.
The shooter has quite the wack-job Christo-fascist pedigree.
I live in San Francisco so I feel that writing to my senators/congressional reps is somewhat futile. If people were to write letters of disgust to Mike Lee but are not constituents, would he care? Is there anything people can do who live in very blue areas of the country? These assassinations and shootings have hit me hard!
I have been told that hearing from non-constituents annoys them at best and to avoid it as counterproductive. That might be different should he decide to run for federal office.
My home state an the nuts are falling from the trees, that United Health CEO was also assassinated that is based in MN that story died or I don’t read enough but I do.
thank you, Tim.
.. and this is why I find it so difficult to criticize the Democrats' present inability to fight back.. now.. yet..
and why I don't know how to answer those who label us/me as 'not angry enough'- not fighting back enough-
there is such a deep sense of disorientation. of not knowing where to turn. how to focus. how to defend against such blatant lies and anger that it can stun- even paralyze logical thinking, temporarily.
it's as if the attack is relentlessly intense, ceaselessly, and from every direction- and yet impossible to predict
the hatred and yes, what you name 'rot' (like Baldwin's (Notes of a Native Son) metaphor of gangrene that must be amputated) is so entrenched-
how does one fight against sheer insanity.
and I mean that as an honest, earnest question. not despairing. not aggressive. not whining.
We do have an obligation to have more empathy and not to breathe a sigh of relief when the perp is from the other political party but Tim! The reason we do that is because the right is so unhinged and fueled by lies and if they believe those lies (as they are wont to do) we (the Dems) are in danger of being exterminated by them. It’s scary. So yes, we do breathe a sigh even while we have great sympathy for the victims. I feel it’s a smidge justified.
Everything in this post is true. And yet... there is no solution to this. This is what frightens me the most and puts me in the dark JVL place.
1. It shows that this won't end when Trump does. This type of crazed disinformation and lying is fully baked into the system at this point.
2. Everyone keeps hoping for the "touch the hot stove" moment. This tells me that moment is never coming.
3. This problem is not fixable in a democracy and technology may be the undoing of democracy. There's no world that without censorship that this can be fixed.
So, what the hell do we do about it?
I wonder, if Boelter hears Charlie Kirk calling him a Walz-hired hitman or Senator Lee calling him a far left Marxist, will it dawn on him that he's been lied to all this time?
Think about this: this White Christian Fashy Nationalist is an acquaintance+ with….Erik Prince, and likely Mike Flynn. See the Jim Stewartson article. They run in the same “international security” worlds in Africa, the Middle East. This terrorist assassin was the CEO for Red Lion security in the Congo. Now, do you think this is some nutter on a vendetta against Minnesota Nice or possibly a False Flag agent of the larger QAnon Christian Nationalist agenda (see Kristopher Goldsmith’s undercover reporting about this)? This guy is probably out of the US, flown away on a friendly jet. And because Kash’s FBI shut down the domestic terrorism surveillance desk at the FBI - the digging on him will be slim. The assassin texted to his friend interviewed by the press that he would be “gone for a long time.” Like sprung to Africa waiting for a pardon??
nope
If touching the hot stove gets no response, that's when Darwinism or sepsis takes over.
It took the Germans losing the war and having the country dismembered to come to grips with the ride Hitler took them on — granted most got on board willingly. Even after all that there are still the Nazi apologists and revisionists. Himmler’s daughter only died in 2018 still claiming daddy did nothing wrong and it was all allied propaganda to ruin his good name.
Yeah, there will always be those. I worked with one of them when I was younger. And one that was repentant. At the same place remarkably. Long Story.
You can bet the White House press secretary will be spinning this tragedy the exact same way tomorrow, the “lunatic left” God help us with these people
Also draws attention from the dismal attendance at MAGA parade and overwhelming No Kings attendance
totally!
Has Trump condemned this violence? These people live in a world divorced from reality. It's fucking sick that the leadership of our country is so craven that they use these lies to maintain and grow their power. They could tell the truth. So fucking disgusting.
he gets off on violence because he is a sadist
Rob - a statement was issued Saturday Trump, and of course Trump expanded on his presidential leadership remarks today. For the roller coaster ride of Jekyll/Hyde divisiveness, see https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-call-walz-after-minnesota-shootings-calls-grossly/story?id=122870353
Focus: blame someone else for the growth of uncivil, violent actions within "politics" in America. Corollary: stoke outrage (exactly what Tim was heartfully cautioning against in his post here) to bring us all down to Trump's own level
I don't think they are capable of telling the truth. It's pathological.
Yea... I've already had a conspiracy theory tossed at me that it's a false flag, he's an obvious patsy, and it's meant to make Trump look bad 😵 They don't even realize how down the rabbit hole they are... it's downright frightening...
It really is incredible how fast they get the lies out there. They started with this conspiracy about an hour after the shooting. I saw a comment about the shooter being leftist on YouTube and could not believe it. Who starts this? It's absolutely insane.
Look for someone who believes it least and wants to propagate conspiracy most
Prob russians
When reality is always a myth to these people, any excuse will do.
Russia? Or white nationalists? The more you think about it, the crazier the lie is. Like what he was interested in and pursued for last few decades. Nothing liberal about him.
Will - they don't need to have a planning meeting. Opponents of a free society all have the same objective and have well observed each others' methods. So all can quickly adopt what works and amplify through their individual networks (which, of course, overlap in various ways).
Watch and you'll see, over & over & ....
🇺🇸To My Beloved Grandparents: The Truth Is Still Ours to Share
First, I want to send a warm and hearty congratulations to everyone who took part in the No Kings protest yesterday. From coast to coast, grandparents, parents, and young folks alike stood shoulder to shoulder for truth, democracy, and the America we still believe in. Your voices were heard. Your peaceful presence made a powerful statement: we will not be ruled by fear, lies, or authoritarian fantasies. We’re still “We the People.” And we showed up.
But the march doesn’t end on the streets. After the No Kings protests, I had some heartfelt conversations in my own family—especially about why, in 2024, no one seemed to talk about how much the Biden Administration improved the economy after COVID; they feel this gap in information lead to Trump getting elected. That gap in coverage isn’t an accident—it’s a choice made by media outlets that don’t benefit from reporting progress. But we can help fill that gap. That’s why I want to talk honestly with you today about something that’s been weighing heavily on my heart: the difficulty of knowing what’s true anymore.
🧠
Truth is Hard to Find in Today’s Media World
Local newspapers—our once-reliable sources of community truth—have shut down across the country.
Billionaires have bought up major TV networks and national papers, deciding what gets covered—and what gets buried.
Social media algorithms reward outrage, conspiracy theories, and lies, repeating them endlessly until they feel familiar—even when they’re false.
It’s no wonder so many people feel lost, angry, or misled. Even topics like the economy, which can be measured with numbers and facts, have become battlegrounds for spin and propaganda.
I’ll be honest: the clearest picture of what’s really going on comes from the kinds of things most people don’t have time (or patience) to sort through—economic charts, job statistics, spending patterns, labor market graphs. Economists use these tools every day. But most people don’t, and that’s where the manipulators thrive.
📊
The Truth About the U.S. Economy in 2024—In Plain Language
Let’s remember what really happened:
The entire world shut down in 2020 because of COVID. Every economy crashed.
But in the years that followed, America led the global recovery.
By 2023–2024, we had:
Stronger GDP growth than any other G7 nation
Falling unemployment and rising wages in several key sectors
A powerful rebound in consumer spending that helped other economies recover too
A resilient dollar and global trust in the U.S. financial system
But many people still believe that the Biden Administration left our economy is in ruins. Why? Because they’re only hearing one version of the story—often from partisan outlets like Fox News, that only show what fits their political goals.
The truth doesn’t always make the news because it doesn’t stir anger, drive ratings, or sell ads.
🧓👵
A Call to My Fellow Grandparents
You and I—we remember a different time. We grew up with Walter Cronkite, with local reporters we could meet at the grocery store. We remember when the news was trusted. Today, our kids and grandkids are being misled by a media environment designed to divide and enrage, not inform.
✅ If you believe in the messages I share here, please copy and customize them for your Facebook, emails, or family chats.
✅ Add your voice. Make it personal. Tell your children and grandchildren what you have seen, what you have lived through, and what you still believe in.
✅ If you marched, tell them why. If you stayed home, tell them what you’re standing for.
This is our time to make an impact—not just in protests, but in conversations that shape the future.
Let’s keep showing up, speaking up, and lifting up the truth—because the next generation needs us now more than ever.
With purpose and pride,
✍🏼 Clarissa Sr.
American Grandma 🇺🇸
Thank you!!!!!
Trump pardon incoming?
The charges have to be state laws like murder not a federal hate crime keep it at the state level, I’m from MN that’s why I’m smart.
Hate to say, but it would be beneficial politically, but a massive injustice to the families I could and would never hope for.
All Trump supporters (who commit crimes) are going to have to be tried at the state or county level for the next few years. A federal conviction is not worth the cost of the paper it's printed on.
There is a non-zero chance that this happens.
And here we are.
"unless the left deals consistently and decisively with its own hateful, sick, uninformed, uneducated radical denialism, misinformation and conspiracy theory rhetoric."
So you are blaming the left for this? This sounds just like the far right MAGA disinformation bots Tim is warning about.
So the extreme right is reacting to the extreme left, and therefore your implication is still that the extreme left is to blame. Can you provide examples of this equivalence, as well as evidence that the degree and volume is the same? Examples of Republican politicians assassinated by radical leftists goaded by extreme left rhetoric?