Mark Pocan, a gay Democrat who chairs the Congressional Equality Caucus, is a disgraced former lawmaker who baselessly claimed that a teenage girl who shot and killed students and teachers at a school in Pocan’s district was transgender. He responded sharply to his colleague Matt Gaetz.
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On Monday, 15-year-old Natalie Rapnow, who goes by Samantha, murdered students and teachers at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin. Rapnow also died from a gunshot wound apparently inflicted on him. Six other people were injured in the shooting.
Some right-wing social media users have suggested, without evidence, that Rapnow is transgender. Gates joined in after TikTok’s far-right librarian Chaya Reichik posted President Joe Biden’s statement on X (formerly Twitter). In the meeting, Biden called for additional gun safety legislation in light of the shooting incident. Lajczyk said Biden wants gun control, and Gates shared her post with the comment, “What about trans regulations instead?”
Pocan then shared Gaetz’s post and commented, “Fuck you idiots who claimed the shooter was transgender without any information to believe it.” Your ignorance speaks volumes. Your hatred is eating away at your brain (or what’s left of your brain). ”
Madison Police Chief Shon Burns said at a news conference Monday that he does not know or care about Rapnow’s gender identity. “What happened today has nothing to do with her or him or how they wanted to identify. I hope people take away their personal bias from this,” Burns said. spoke. The majority of mass shooters are cisgender white men.
Gates, a Republican who represented Florida’s congressional district, recently left Congress on a cloudy note. He resigned in November, just before the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into allegations of Gaetz’s illegal drug use and sex with minors was released. He had wanted to avoid making the report public, but the ethics committee on Wednesday voted to make it public, reversing an earlier decision, the people said. NBC News.
Immediately after his resignation, Gaetz withdrew his bid for attorney general in the incoming Donald Trump administration. President Trump’s nomination of Gates, one of his closest allies, drew criticism not only for the sex and drug allegations, but also for Gates’ extreme views and lack of qualifications for the job.
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