Selective outrage: Sen. Mike Lee mocks real violence against Democrats, condemns fake violence against Trump

Hours after a gunman killed a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota, Utah Sen. Mike Lee took to social media to mock the victims—but when a protester displayed a violent image targeting President Trump the same weekend, Lee swiftly condemned it as "un-democratic."

Minnesota law enforcement officials say Vance Boelter allegedly shot and killed Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and allegedly shot and wounded Democratic state Senator John Hoffman and his wife on Saturday. During the spree, officials say Boelter visited two other Minnesota politicians’ homes “with the intent to kill them.”

Lee’s response was immediate and partisan. He posted a photo of the alleged gunman wearing a latex mask with the caption, “This is what happens when Marxists don’t get their way.”

Lee’s ham-fisted accusation is not supported by a shred of evidence. Boelter’s friends told reporters that he is a “strong” supporter of President Donald Trump and held conservative political views. He was registered to vote as a Republican when he lived in Oklahoma. Police found a hit list of approximately 70 other potential targets in what they say is Boelter’s vehicle. The list included Democratic politicians, doctors and locations of Planned Parenthood clinics.

Minutes later, Lee posted more photos of the alleged gunman with the caption, “Nightmare on Waltz Street,” an apparent dig at Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz.

The casual cruelty of those posts stood in stark contrast to a message on his official U.S. Senate X/Twitter account where he condemned the Minnesota attack and a fatal shooting at the “No Kings” protest in downtown Salt Lake City on Saturday evening.

“These hateful attacks have no place in Utah, Minnesota, or anywhere in America,” the message read.

His office did not respond to a request for comment from Utah Political Watch.

Lee’s selective outrage becomes clear when violence targets Republicans.

Just hours after his derisive posts about the shootings in Minnesota, Lee condemned a North Carolina state lawmaker for a social media post of a protester at a “No Kings” rally carrying a prop depicting a beheaded President Trump and Elon Musk.

“Calling for the president of the United States to be beheaded is un-democratic,” Lee said in a response to a post from the far-right Libs of TikTok.

Lee also accused former FBI Director James Comey of making a violent threat against President Trump because of a now-deleted Instagram post of seashells arranged so they read “8647.” Lee introduced legislation last week condemning Comey for “inciting violence” against President Trump and barring him from any future employment with the federal government.

Got a news tip to share? Email tips@utahpoliticalwatch.news or message me securely on Signal.