GOP senator says he was joking when he floated using violence against journalists

Ah, that old GOP favorite, the "Schrodinger's Joke" defense against encouraging stochastic terrorism ....
- New rule: lawmakers don't get to joke about fascist policies
  
  No, no. This just tells us who to primary, before the primaries.

So.... He's evil. He's supposed to be a represent of the country at some level. He should attempt to live up to the ideals of a democratic republic. He should take his role as a leader of the whole populace, not just some of it.
These statements are not jokes, they are statements of his role as a leader. They hold weight and power of his office. Claiming his officer's power is a joke about hurting people demonstrates what he wants to use the power for. He feels the power of the state should be used extrajudicially against citizens of his nation. That's evil.

But if anyone makes the same joke toward him, they’ll be hauled in for questioning.
- And he'd want to fight them, like a CTE overgrown 15 year old.
  This is a warning, kids: don't let your kids participate in sports where they can sustain multiple concussions before they're an adult. Your kid will end up a violent brute.

Gee, wonder how well the "I was just joking" defense would work for those non-MAGAts among us...
🙄 🤡 🖕 🖕

Spoiler: No he wasn't. He meant every word of that crap. He just thought others agreed with him.

Classic bully excuse
- dude they never stop lying. I think mostly these days I'm just mad at how stupid they think we all are

I didnt elect my representatives to make jokes, and I'm sure others haven't for theirs. fuck off.

there's this joke about a republican senator I heard years ago. it starts off with his constituency beating him so hard that his next two children end up in wheelchairs. when the local news picks up the story they ask him, "do you have any regrets?" and the senator says, "of course I do! I have two."

You can't do that.
You're an government official, not someone tanking a Tuesday-noon stand-up gig. If you want to be "funny" and intimate violence toward political opponents "as a joke", quit and pursue that comedy career you're tripping over yourself to practice.
We can't keep letting public figures say insane shit and walking it back "as a joke". You shouldn't be able walk anything back. If you want to recant, it's an official motion you have to make and you're fined regardless, if it was a threat/incitement to violence or slander/libel.
They should be afraid of the words they use because those words have a greater effect than the average person.

One of those "I'm joking" but not really jokes. -I hate those. It show's a lack of self-awareness on those that make the claim.
- It's a joke when you're either upset or horrified at the statement.... it's like asking someone for a blow job, it's a joke depending on your reason...Had a vocal group said that's fine, kill the reporters telling inconvenience truths, he'd have done nothing to stop it, I bet.

Making the same joke about the senator will result in the FBI breaking down your door. Funny how that works.

the classic "Oh shit, I'm getting to much backlash..uh.. uh..umm...er...uh... IT WAS A JOKE, GOD, STUPID LIBTARDS TAKE EVERYTHING SERIOUSLY!"
- It’s a prank bro.

Hey Markwayne you should put a loaded gun in your mouth and pull the trigger with the safety off haha jk but what if?

But showing Trump in a casket is not a joke to these people. Their speech is worth less than free.
- I'd rather show him lying dead in the street, in a pool of his own blood. Hogtied for extra snowflake reaction.
- or having a comedian, show the head of trump without his body too.

Comedians can make for excellent politicians, but politicians on the other hand are total shit at comedy.

I, as a true American Patriot, am gonna go to DC and hunt down and execute every traitor on behalf of my country, one by one, until they are all dead. Executive, Legislative, Judicial. Every traitor. In every branch of governent. The last thing they will all see is the barrel of a gun. None will be spared.
Haha I'm just kidding! 🤭
or am I? 😏

Nah. You showed your ass you fascist piece of shit. (Referring to good ol' boy Markwayne, not OP, of course.)

Just like when he wanted to fight the leader of The Teamsters?
Yeah, Bubbafred, you was just funnin'.

Even if he was, it's not an appropriate thing to joke about! Just like it's not appropriate for a teacher to joke that they diddle kids!
- "But... but... violence is badass! Vikings are awesome!"

Losers will often play cruel jokes on vulnerable people, then claim "it's just a prank, bro!" when there's backlash, like that excuses everything. This is the same small-dick energy.
- "It was just a joke, cantcha take a joke?" has been the #1 defense of bullies, since the beginning of bullies.

Too bad his followers are too dumb to tell when something is a joke
- It wasnt a joke. It only becomes a 'joke' when there's backlash or potential legal implications.

Sounds good. This is why I don’t care when Conservatives reciprocate the violence they put out there. Thats how Karma works. You get what you sow.

Uh huh "joking".
Perhaps we should use violence against GQP senators... Only joking!

The republicans are such liars. Like project 2025 was just something randomly floating around and they weren’t serious about it yet here they are doing most of it. They’ll beat up journalists soon enough.