Levin Report: Tennessee Rep. “Devastated” Over Covenant School Shooting Posed For Gun-Toting Christmas Photo

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In the wake of Monday’s shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School, which left at least three children and three adults dead, Tennessee representative Andy Ogles, who represents the school’s district, issued a statement, writing, in part: “My family and I are devastated by the tragedy that took place at The Covenant School in Nashville this morning. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of those lost. As a father of three, I am utterly heartbroken by this senseless act of of violence.” Obviously, Republican calls for “thoughts and prayers” have long been a meaningless offering in light of the party’s consistent refusal to actually do anything to stop gun violence. But Ogles’s use of the phrase, in addition to his claim of being both “devastated” and “heartbroken,” rings even more hollow in light of his undeniable celebration of killing machines.

Take a gander at the Christmas portrait Ogles chose to pose for, and disseminate, in 2021. It features his entire family, save for the very youngest, posing in front of a tree holding assault-style rifles. As The Washington Post noted at the time, Ogles, who was then the mayor of Maury County, Tennessee, posted the photo alongside the caption, “The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good” (and falsely attributed it to George Washington).

Offensive Christmas photos aside, Ogles’s claim of being devastated by today’s shooting is pretty absurd his record on gun control. As mayor, he signed a resolution “declaring [his county] a sanctuary community for the constitutional right to bear arms.” On his congressional campaign website, he promised: “I will fight tirelessly to ensure that your constitutional rights are protected and never infringed upon. Disarming the people is the most effective way to enslave them, and we must remain vigilant when anyone seeks to erode our civil liberties.” In January, he cosponsored a bill that would allow people with concealed carry licenses or permits to carry a weapon in any other state. And just this month, he cosponsored legislation that would prohibit the federal government from creating a federal firearms registry.   

Naturally, Ogles is one of those Republicans who talks a big game about protecting children, though not, of course, from things that could actually hurt them, but from made-up bullshit like “woke indoctrination.”

Not surprisingly, Ogles isn’t the only Republican hypocrite out in full force in Tennessee today. Senator Marsha Blackburn had the audacity to tweet this…

…despite voting against a historic gun control bill last year. Which probably has to do with, among other things, the National Rifle Association donating more than $1 million to her coffers.

Report: Melania Trump is still pissed about Stormy Daniels, has no sympathy for Trump re: possible prison time

One of the most obvious takeaways from Donald Trump’s time in the White House—in addition to the determination that (1) people working for him should have received hazard pay and (2) he should never be allowed within 10,000 feet of the place again, not even as a chaperone for a school trip—was that the then first lady, Melania Trump, absolutely despised him. And it appears those feelings have not changed in the two-plus years since the duo left Washington!

According to a new report, Melania remains “angry” at her husband over the alleged affair he had with porn star Stormy Daniels, which could result in his being indicted by the Manhattan district attorney’s office at some point in the near future, thanks to the hush money he paid to keep Daniels quiet in 2016. (Though the ex-president has denied sleeping with the adult-film star, he has admitted to the $130,000 deal brokered by his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen on the eve of the 2020 election, which Trump subsequently reimbursed Cohen for during his first year in office.) And while it doesn’t seem unreasonable for Melania to still be upset about her husband allegedly cheating on her—just months after she gave birth, according to Daniels—her negative feelings for him apparently run so deep that she doesn’t seem to give a f–k if he is criminally charged. The former first lady, a source familiar with the matter told People, “wants to ignore” the whole thing and “hopes it will pass,” but “doesn’t sympathize with Donald’s plight.”

Not only that, but, according to the same source, the former FLOTUS really wouldn’t be put out in the slightest if her spouse did time behind bars. “Melania loves the beautiful weather and resort town atmosphere of Palm Beach,” this person told reporter Linda Marx. “She is happy when she is in Palm Beach. She has her son and other close family members. They are tribe-like and usually stick together. Despite what happens to Donald, she will be fine. She is well taken care of.”

In related news, it appears that at least two other family members won’t be holding any press conferences to decry the potential charges or claim Trump is the victim of witch hunt. According to the New York Post, former senior presidential advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner “want nothing to do with this. They are staying away and don’t want to be hounded by reporters. I don’t think you will see them defending him—it will be no comment.” (In November, despite his reported begging, Ivanka declined to show up when her father announced his third bid for office, later saying in an official statement that she would not participate in his campaign.)

Obviously, this all stands in contrast to the online ravings of Donald Trump Jr., who seems prepared to chain himself to the door of the Manhattan DA’s office until prosecutors agree to leave his dad alone. (No word from Eric Trump, though his stance is presumably somewhat more in line with Don Jr.’s Don’t worry, Dad, I’m going to sneak you out through the prison tunnel system! vibe than his stepmother’s POV.)

Here comes the “just lock the doors/get rid of the doors/do anything but deal with the actual issue” crowd

Q: What does (likely) 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis plan to do about school shootings?

A: Nothing.

Elsewhere!

Biden calls on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban following Nashville shooting (CNN)

Fox News Fires Producer Who Accused Network of Coercion (NYT)

Top Fed official blasts SVB collapse as “textbook case of mismanagement” (FT)

A Day With Lauren Boebert’s Doomsaying Diners at Shooter’s Grill (VF)

Former National Enquirer Publisher Testifies Again in Trump Inquiry (NYT)

DeSantis draws second ethics complaint over presidential ramp-up (Politico)

Goldman Sachs scraps plan to buy a third corporate jet amid scrutiny of CEO’s plane use and cost cutting (Insider)

Price of Col. Sanders’s Kentucky mansion slashed after nearly a year on the block (NYP)

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