As Townhall has been covering, Democratic members of Congress are making excuses for the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, gunned down in New York City earlier this month. In addition to Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), as well as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) has now joined in.
On Sunday afternoon, Murphy posted a video clip to his own page over X. Sure enough, there's a "but" in there with what he's posted, and the video in question contained expletives.
"Listen, I think that political leaders in this country need to be part of this conversation that's happening all over the country in the wake of the shooting of the United Healthcare CEO. I know that it's fraught, I know that it's uncomfortable, but this is really important," Murphy began. Other than there being a "but," it's also worth wondering why it should be "uncomfortable" to condemn the murder of anyone.
"Listen, I'm never going to condone violence. I don't here. I spent my entire life fighting gun violence because I know that the devastation is enormous that it leaves behind," he went on to tout, before he got particularly passionate. "What I see happening in this country, though, is a real visceral anger that the outrage at Brian Thompson's death, or the outrage that any powerful person, isn't matched by the anger over the thousands of people who die, often anonymous deaths every single day in this country, at the hands of a healthcare industry that mostly doesn't give a s**t about people, and only cares about profits," he continued.
"Ordinary people in this country are not indifferent to the loss of life," Murphy then offered, though he then went on to further demonize the healthcare industry and did so with bold claims. "These companies are. Why do I know this? Why do millions of Americans know this? Because the business model of the healthcare industry is to deny care, necessary medical care, to people who need it, and force them into bankruptcy, or worse, let them die, in order to grow profit."
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The demonization continued from there: "There are a ton of good people in healthcare industry, nurses, doctors, but that's an immoral system, watching people die, ruining families financially to pad profits and make money for the people who run the biggest companies."
Murphy once more tried to catch himself. "Murder is never justified, it isn't," he said, though he added another "but" in there. "But if this country's leaders don't pay attention to the conversation that's happening right now this weekend, that is a mistake. People in America today feel ignored. They feel scared. They feel alone in a system that intentionally grinds them down, a system where profit matters more than life. My colleagues need to listen, and we need to do something about it," he said to conclude his video message.
I know it's uncomfortable for political leaders to wade into the conversation that's happening in this country in the aftermath of the murder of the United Health CEO. But we need to listen to what people are feeling. And act. pic.twitter.com/V3WwRV74Fo
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 15, 2024
Murphy may claim to not be "condon[ing] violence" and acknowledge that "murder is never justified," but he sure is ratcheting up anger and strong negative feelings about the industry that the murder victim worked in and helped lead. His wife and children will be without a husband and father for this Christmas season, and for the rest of their lives, and here Murphy is demonizing the system that Thompson worked for.
Since it was first posted, the video has garnered close to 3 million views and close to 3,000 replies. There are also plenty of quoted replies, with Sam J. at our sister site of Twitchy highlighting some of the best ones.
The lack of self-awareness in this is astonishing.
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) December 16, 2024
The government is a terrible, inefficient dumpster that constantly harms people. Would Chris be cool with his logic being applied to himself? https://t.co/MmKNSvZhBy
If someone posted this video but subbed out a CEO, who has no meaningful systemic power, for U.S. Senators, who do, and you’d be calling for the FBI to kick down doors.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) December 16, 2024
How would your family and colleagues would react if someone who is really unhappy with government did to you what that guy did to the CEO? Would they be OK having these uncomfortable conversations?
— NotYourJewishMom (@CaffMomREDACTED) December 16, 2024
Chris, keep in mind how much of our health care is controlled by the government if you think we need to give any merit to killers acting out against bad health care.
— Kyle Beckley (@Kyle_Beckley) December 15, 2024
I think it's a bad thing. But you should pow wow with Warren on this and why it might be bad.
Ignore everything before the “but.” This rule will never fail you and makes it easy to keep tabs on everyone who justifies political violence, murder, etc. https://t.co/2hqqfx0250
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) December 16, 2024
Meanwhile, Warren has once more chimed in over X in a way that brought negative attention. The senator tried to walk back her remarks, a move she wouldn't have had to do if she hadn't made them in the first place.
On Monday morning, Warren once more demanded "fair share in taxes" and how she's "staying in the fight for families."
Except for the family of Brian Thompson, right? https://t.co/j2j0uBLGz9
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) December 16, 2024
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