Democratic US representative fires aide who posted that she wished Trump’s assassin had better aim

Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, said on July 14 that he had fired an aide from a field office who posted on social media that she wished the gunman

who tried to assassinate former president Donald Trump

had better aim.

After the assassination attempt, which

killed at least one man at a Trump rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania,

Ms Jacqueline Marsaw, a field director for Mr Thompson, wrote on Facebook: “I don’t condone violence but please get you some shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time ooops that wasn’t me talking.”

Those who saw the post quickly condemned it before it was deleted.

“I call upon Congressman Bennie Thompson to immediately fire Jacqueline Marsaw,” Mississippi Lieutenant-Governor Delbert Hosemann wrote on social media.

In a statement on July 14, Mr Thompson said he had done just that.

“I was made aware of a post made by a staff member and she is no longer in my employment,” Mr Thompson said.

Mr Thompson chaired the special House committee that investigated

the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol,

which investigated Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. On the evening of July 13, shortly after the assassination attempt, the Mississippi Democrat condemned the violence directed at Trump.

“There is no room in American democracy for political violence. I am grateful for law enforcement’s fast response to this incident,” Mr Thompson wrote on social media. “I am glad the former president is safe, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved.”

Ms Marsaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment. NYTIMES