Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday afternoon, President Joe Biden was asked about Republican Senator Josh Hawley's demands the Department of Justice open a hate crime investigation into the slaughter of six Christians at Covenant Church in Nashville Monday.
Biden responded with a joke.
Asked to respond to GOP Senator Josh Hawley's claim he believes Christians were targeted in Monday's school shooting in Nashville, TN, Biden tells reporters at the White House, "Well, I probably don't then," before clarifying, "No, I'm joking-- I have no idea." pic.twitter.com/7BfVbdbXmN
— DJ Judd (@DJJudd) March 28, 2023
During an event at the White House in the immediate aftermath of the massacre, Biden responded in bizarre fashion with comments about ice cream.
BIDEN: "I eat Jeni's ice cream—chocolate chip...I have a whole refrigerator full upstairs! You think I'm kidding? I'm not!" pic.twitter.com/qRDI72T1zM
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 27, 2023
On Tuesday afternoon, Hawley wrote a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkis asking for a full investigation and ample resources to get to the bottom of the attack. Local police have a manifesto from the killer, who was trans, but have not released it.
Senator @HawleyMO calls for the Nashville shooting carried out by a crazed transgender person against a Christian school to be investigated as a HATE CRIME!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 28, 2023
"Make your voice heard! Condemn this violence as the hate crime that it is!" pic.twitter.com/cesIq35lnj
I am calling on FBI Director Wray and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to open a federal hate crime investigation into the massacre in Nashville - targeting a Christian school 👇 pic.twitter.com/IvzrJUY2ZH
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 28, 2023
Testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday afternoon, Attorney General Merrick Garland was pressed on the issue.
KENNEDY: "Do you plan on opening a hate crime investigation for the targeting of Christians?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 28, 2023
AG GARLAND: "A motive hasn't been identified..." pic.twitter.com/RB14fT3h2M