It was poor judgment for Democratic state Rep. Julie von Haefen to post a picture of a “beheadings” protest sign on her social media.
She had the character and courage to admit it and apologize on the floor of the House.
Republican Speaker Destin Hall professed outrage over the post and admonished House members to “hold yourselves to a higher standard.”
Julie von Haefen is a Democratic representative for District 36, Wake County, North Carolina.
Why doesn’t Hall hold his party and president to that standard?
Did he admonish Trump for inciting a violent mob to attack the Capitol on January 6 and pardoning thugs who assaulted police officers and wanted to hang Vice President Mike Pence?
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Or Trump for mocking the hammer assault on former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband?
Or ex-North Carolina governor candidate Mark Robinson for telling a church group “some folks need killing”?
House Speaker Destin Hall is a Republican representative of District 87, Caldwell and Watauga counties, North Carolina.
Or Michelle Morrow, ex-candidate for superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction, for posting that Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Roy Cooper should be executed for treason?
Or Utah Senator Mike Lee for blaming the recent assassination of a Minnesota legislator and her husband on Gov. Tim Walz?
Opinion writer Isaac Bailey got it right about Hall and the GOP in The News & Observer: “Oh, give me a break. Stop clutching your pearls. Your rank hypocrisy is showing.”
Gary Pearce
Violent political rhetoric has been ratcheting up since Trump rode down his golden escalator in 2015.
It’s time to cool it.
It’s way past time for Republicans like Hall to call out Trump and MAGA on it.
Gary Pearce was a reporter and editor at The News & Observer, a political consultant, and an adviser to Gov. Jim Hunt (1976-1984 and 1992-2000). He blogs about politics and public policy at “Talking About Politics.”
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Republicans should admonish Trump like they do his critics | Opinion
