1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

The fatal shooting of Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman and attempted assassination of Senator John Hoffman is a tragic event that should unite us in grief, not divide us further. However, Senator Moreno's rush to politicize this heartbreaking incident with unsubstantiated claims is deeply concerning. His comments vilifying "the extreme left" as "radical, violent and intolerant" are not only factually baseless but also serve to exacerbate societal tensions in the wake of such a traumatic event. It has been reported that the shooter, Vance Bolter, is an evangelical Christian Trump supporter opposed to abortion rights – undercutting Moreno's inflammatory partisan narrative. In a time of national mourning, we should come together to heal, not recklessly cast aspersions along political lines. Moreno's divisive rhetoric does a disservice to the victims, their families, and all Ohioans. Bernie Moreno should be censured for these vile lies. A public apology and retraction are warranted to begin restoring a sense of unity and demonstrate genuine leadership in this difficult moment.