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Representative Debbie Lesko has suggested her critics have misrepresented recent comments she made about protecting her grandchildren during a debate on gun control.
Lesko, a Republican who represents Arizona's 8th congressional district, spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday and appeared to say she would shoot her grandchildren in order to "protect" them.
Those comments came following several deadly mass shootings in recent months, including at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois on Monday that left seven people dead.
On Tuesday, Lesko said on the House floor: "I would do anything—anything—to protect my five grandchildren. Including, as a last resort, shooting them, if I had to, to protect the lives of my grandchildren."
She was speaking against H.R. 2377, a proposal to create a national "red flag" law that would allow authorities to take firearms from people deemed a threat to themselves and others.
"Democrat bills that we've heard this week wanna take away my right, my right, to protect my grandchildren," Lesko went on. "They want to take away the rights of law-abiding citizens to protect their own children, and grandchildren, and wives, and brothers, and sisters. This bill takes away due process from law-abiding citizens."
Lesko's remarks quickly spread on social media, with Twitter users criticizing Lesko and some expressing shock. Lesko responded on Wednesday in a tweet that did not acknowledge if she had misspoken.
"It never ceases to amaze me the lengths gun control zealots will go!" Lesko tweeted. "They turned my speech about protecting Second Amendment rights and my right to protect my grandchildren from violent criminals into a claim I would harm my own grandchildren. Absolutely ridiculous!"
Newsweek has asked Debbie Lesko's office for comment.
It is likely Lesko misspoke while delivering an argument she's made before. While speaking in opposition to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act on June 9, Lesko had said: "I have five grandchildren and I would do anything to protect my grandchildren including, as a last resort, shooting the killer because that's what a grandmother does."
Nonetheless, Lesko's comments on Tuesday set off a storm of criticism on social media.
Democratic strategist and consultant Adam Parkhomenko shared a video of her remarks and wrote: "Holy sh*t this Republican congresswoman said she would do anything for her grandchildren—including shooting them."
"In order the save the kids, you have to shoot them. The Debbie Lesko plan to save your children from liberals," joked Wajahat Ali, columnist for The Daily Beast.
"I am alive today because Debbie Lesko wasn't my grandma," tweeted former White House correspondent Sam Youngman.
Lesko is seeking re-election in November and has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Poll tracker FiveThirtyEight rates the race in Arizona's 8th district as "solid Republican."
About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more