Following what was perceived as an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend, Governor Jim Justice called on West Virginians to “stop the hate” in a live address on Monday.
In his remarks, Justice – who called Trump a “truly personal friend” – said he wanted to see an end to divisive political rhetoric. He said he believes violence and hatred have “increased everywhere” during President Joe Biden’s administration.
“From our politicians’ perspective, we need to tone down the rhetoric a little bit. We need to get back to respecting each other, whether Democrat or Republican, independent or whoever,” Justice said. “We were about to lose the next president of the United States of America, a president we had just a few years ago.”
Trump is the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee and is expected to face Biden for the Oval Office in November.
The former president was shot in his ear as he spoke to a crowd of his supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, on SaturdayAccording to his campaign team, Trump is recovering “well” from his injury. He is expected to attend the Republican Party Convention in Milwaukee this week, where he is expected to accept his official nomination as a candidate.
The shooter who shot Trump was identified was identified by the FBI on Sunday as 20-year-old Bethel Park resident Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed by authorities at the scene. Authorities have not released any information about Crooks’ motive for the shooting or any ideological motivations that might be involved.
In his remarks on Monday – in which he called, among other things, for the reinstatement of “prayer in schools” and made vague demands for criminal justice reform – Justice called it “a miracle” that Trump was not killed by the bullets fired and thanked God for his “blessings.”
“We saw a miracle right before our eyes. How could the bullet really miss his head?” Justice said. “…This was a shot that God somehow redirected away from this great man for all of us to see.”
According to reports, 50-year-old rally participant Corey Comperatore was killed and two other participants were seriously injured. Comperatore, a firefighter and Butler County resident, was at the rally with his family at the time of his death.
Reactions from other West Virginia lawmakers
Justice’s address to the public was one of many West Virginia state officials condemning the shooting and political violence more generally.
On the ground, nearly all members of the West Virginia House of Representatives signed a statement on Monday calling the shooting a “heinous act” that should serve as a “deadly reminder” of the impact of divisive political statements.
“When everyday political discourse equates public servants with monsters, when it becomes common practice to refer to a political rival as an enemy, the real evil lies in the threat these words can pose,” the statement said.
Republican Rep. Geoff Foster of Putnam is the only delegate who has explicitly opposed signing the statement, saying he “cannot endorse the language,” said Ann Ali, deputy chief of staff and communications director for the House.
West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin (D-Kanawha) said in a statement that the attempt on Trump’s life was a “despicable and cowardly act.”
“Such acts of violence are not just an attack on an individual, but an act of violence against our entire country and our democratic system of government. In the United States, we decide our elections with ballots, not bullets,” Pushkin wrote. “I encourage all West Virginians and all Americans to recommit themselves to democratic principles and the noble ideals that have made our country a beacon of hope around the world.”
At the federal level, Sen. Joe Manchin (IW.Va.), who currently holds the congressional seat Justice is running for in November, said in a statement Sunday that the shooting, although it was the act of one man, should come as no surprise given the “toxic political climate” that prevails on “both sides of the political spectrum.”
“Unfortunately an innocent [rally-goer] is dead and others injured because we allowed hate speech to become a rallying cry for political violence. We are fortunate that former President Donald Trump was only wounded and will recover,” Manchin wrote. “This should be a wake-up call for all of us. This is a moment when Americans must come together to support the ideals that make our nation great. It is time to put country before party. On both sides…”
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said in a statement that she was “shocked and horrified” by the assassination attempt and “grateful” that Trump survived.
“Now more than ever, we must come together as Americans,” Capito wrote. “Violence of any kind has absolutely no place in our country and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. Like many Americans, I have questions about this attack and it is important that we understand how and why this horrific act of violence occurred.”
In the House, Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) said she was heartbroken for Comperatore’s family following his death.
“Political violence has no place in America, and we will never bow to hate-filled fearmongering,” Miller said. “I thank God that President Trump survived this assassination attempt, and I am more confident than ever that he is the leader America needs.”
