Shameless CBS Downplays GOP Attack, Uses Far-Left Group to Warn of Dangerous Rhetoric

Given how CBS MorningsThe network’s morning news programs All covered the January 6 hearings versus the attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, it wasn’t shocking to see that a Tuesday segment warning about political violence ignored the party ID of those attacked five years ago on this date in Alexandria, Virginia (congressional Republicans), the gunman’s tilt (progressive), and the motive of the Kavanaugh suspect (also a liberal).

CBS referenced the Southern Poverty Law Center of (SPLC) as a source for the subject matter. This is a far-left group. Soros-fundedThe SPLC used to refer to mainstream Christian, conservative organizations as “hate groups”. SPLC must be aware of the consequences of extremism, as their so called map of hate. It wasIn February 2013, a gunman shot a woman. Nearly murderedFamily Research Council staff.

Co-host Nate Burleson introduced the segment by warning of “the rising threat of political violence” and, while that’s entirely correct, his first example was “testimony on Capitol Hill from an official who received death threats against his children from angry Trump’s supporters.”

Burleson lied about what had happened to Steve Scalise, the current House Minority Whip (R-LA), and his GOP coworkers before he went to Scott MacFarlane.

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the shooting death of a gunman on a field in a Major League Baseball park. Republican Congressman Steve Scalise sustained serious injuries. CBS News learned that Capitol Hill police had investigated almost 10,000 threats over the last year. Scott MacFarlane shows us how America’s increasingly toxic politics are also becoming more dangerous.

There is nothing that reveals the fact that the gunman was an avowed terrorist. Bernie Sanders supporter, MSNBC viewersProgressives were concerned about Republicans. PushingObamaCare must be repealed

MacFarlane’s main anecdote was a Maryland man under house arrest for having “called his Congressman and left a voicemail saying he knew where the Congressman and his family lived and that he would blow up his office” because he “was challenging the results of the [2020] election.”

Here again, MacFarlane left facts behind. Although the Department of Justice never didn’t say who, the only member of the Maryland delegation who objected was Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD).

MacFarlane attributed the rise in threats to — what else — January 6 as part of a doubling in investigations of threats by Capitol Police over the last five years.

Going to Scalise, MacFarlane again minimized the motive and who was attacked (with the exception of giving Scalise a Republican tag) (click “expand”):

CONGRESSMAN STEVEN SCALISE (R–LA): I am lucky to be alive. That day, I am certain God took good care of me.

MACFARLANE – Some threats already led to violence. In 2017, a gunman shot and seriously wounded Republican House whip Steve Scalise during a Virginia baseball practice. Capitol Police then returned fire, and the shooter was killed. Scalise who is in physical therapy since childhood, believes that there must be no tolerance for violence and strict prosecutions for all threats.

SCALISE: Clearly, people — and there’s got to be mental illness involved in it, the rage that some people might get where they think it’s okay to take a political difference and want to then go and commit violence based on it.

MacFarlane’s omission-laden reporting continued with this esoteric and preposterous summation of what happened last week: “[J]Last week, a man was charged with threatening to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The man was found near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland home with a gun and a knife and is charged with attempted murder.”

MacFarlane ended with Capitol Police’s goal of hiring hundreds more officers, but not before touting the SPLC as a group concerned that “the increasingly overheated and inflammatory rhetoric of politicians is fueling a combustible toxic environment.”

SPLC head Margaret Huang responded to MacFarlane’s softball about whether “elected officials could do more to denounce” The rise of “unacceptable behavior” And emphasize “there are consequences for embracing this kind of hate speech and extremist ideology.”

It ought to be easy for both political violence to be condemned and the perpetrator(s) of it to be identified. But when it’s conservatives facing threats and/or violence, the liberal media sure seem to be less interested in the full picture.

Advertisers such as Subaru and Angi brought this act of shoddy journalism to your attention. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.

To see the relevant CBS transcript from June 14, click “expand.”

CBS Mornings
June 14, 2022
Eastern: 7:32 am

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Keeping Congress Safe; Violent Threats Against Congress More Than Doubled in Past 5 Years]

NATE BOULESON: We are now addressing the urgent threat from political violence. Just yesterday, we heard testimony on Capitol Hill from an official who received death threats against his children from angry Trump’s supporters. Today is also five years ago that a gunman attacked Members of Congress, staff and volunteers on a ball field. Republican Congressman Steve Scalise sustained serious injuries. CBS News learned that Capitol Hill police had investigated almost 10,000 threats over the last year. Scott MacFarlane shows us how America’s increasingly toxic politics are also becoming more dangerous.

SCOTT MACFARLANE. Sid Mathur from Maryland, a college graduate with a health degree and a political history was unaffected until he violated the law when he committed a crime with his cell-phone.

SID MATHUR : That moment I allowed my anger to get the better of me.

MACFARLANE – Mathur called his congressman weeks after the 2020 election and left a voicemail stating that he knew the address of the Congressman’s family and threatened to blow up the office. It was a threat to life that warranted serious and swift consequences. Mathur said he was mad that Mathur was questioning the election’s results.

MACFARLANE – When you said your intention was simply to express your opinions, it went much further than that.

SID MATHUR : Yes. It was. In fact, like when I — when I picked up the phone and I was so infuriated at that time, it was an unfortunate thing that I did and I’m very sorry.

MACFARLANE. Mathur has been sentenced to home detention for pleading guilty in Federal court to a Federal criminal case of communicating threat. Federal authorities have begun investigating an increasing number of threats to the Capitol from this man, with no past of any political activism. According to the U.S. Capitol Police, there has been a rise in threats made against members of Congress. Investigations of threats rose 11 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year, which saw nearly 9,600 incidents. That’s more than double the number from five years ago.

CONGRESSMAN STEVEN SCALISE (R–LA): I am lucky to be alive. That day, I am certain God took good care of me.

MACFARLANE – Some threats already led to violence. In 2017, a gunman shot and seriously wounded Republican House whip Steve Scalise during a Virginia baseball practice. Capitol Police then returned fire, and the shooter was killed. Scalise who is in physical therapy since childhood, believes that there must be no tolerance for violence and strict prosecutions for all threats.

SCALISE: Clearly, people — and there’s got to be mental illness involved in it, the rage that some people might get where they think it’s okay to take a political difference and want to then go and commit violence based on it.

MACFARLANE – Last week, a man was charged with threatening to murder a Supreme Court Justice. The man was found near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland home with a gun and a knife and is charged with attempted murder.

ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GGARLAND: Violence threats and actual violence towards the Justices, of course strike at the heartbeat of our democracy.

MAN: Don’t forget your mask.

MACFARLANE. The Southern Poverty Law Center, advocacy organizations and politicians are creating a toxic and explosive environment.

SPEAKER NACY PELOSI (D–CA): This gentleman is out of order.

MACFARLANE – Do you think elected officials could do more?

SPLC PRESIDENT/CEO MARGARET HUANG: Yes. It is clear that elected officials will tell you that it is not acceptable behavior and that they have consequences for supporting hate speech or extremist ideologies. This makes a big difference as well as failure to do so.

MACFARLANE – Although it’s not just politicians that are responsible, Sid Mathur believes people should be careful about going as far as he did.

MATHUR: I still think about it every day like when I wake up or when I’m going to sleep, it stays — it’s going to stay with me forever basically, just for that one mistake for that one night.

MACFARLANE: The U.S. House Sergeant at Arms has recommended more security cameras and more security upgrades in the hometown offices of Members of Congress when they’re not here at the Capitol, and Capitol Police tell CBS News to try to hire and deploy 280 more officers by the end of this summer — Gayle.

GAYLE King: These are scary times. Scott, I am very grateful.