MAGA Rep. Anna Paulina Luna lashed out at CNN and accused the network of airing an “edited clip” of her blaming Democrats for the killing of conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk.
The Florida congresswoman shouted at her Democratic colleagues on the House floor at the end of a silent prayer for Kirk, 31, who was shot dead while speaking at a college in Utah.
Luna could be heard yelling, “Y’all caused this!” and “You f—ing own this.”
No suspect yet has yet been caught in connection with the killing of the Turning Point USA founder.
Her outburst came after fellow MAGA Rep. Lauren Boebert had called for someone to lead a spoken prayer for Kirk. Some Democrats could be heard groaning and replying “no,” or suggesting one should also be held for victims of a high school shooting in Colorado, which occurred the same day.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins interviewed House Speaker Mike Johnson, who led a moment of silent prayer for Kirk, played the clip of the outbursts. Asked for his views, Johnson admitted the House floor had turned into a “little bit of chaos,” which he described as a “reflection of the emotion of the moment.”
Luna has since accused CNN of being misleading by showing only a section of what occurred after the silent prayer, while doubling down on her claim that Democrats are to blame for Kirk’s death.
“I said their hateful rhetoric was responsible for this, and I stand by it. Their rhetoric did cause this,” Luna posted. “How many times have they called us fascists, Nazis, or war criminals? How often have they claimed the American people will lose their rights, or smeared us as authoritarian dictators? How often have they attacked Charlie Kirk and others like him?
“And tonight, when asked simply to pray for a grieving family, they booed. That behavior is disgusting. This edited clip is yet another example of how far CNN will go, and how low they’ll sink, for ratings.”
Luna’s response echoed that of President Donald Trump, who accused the “radical left” of fueling rising violence in the U.S. The president cited high-profile incidents such as the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the 2017 shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans, like Charlie, to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” Trump said in a video message. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”
Trump did not mention examples of Democrats being targeted in politically motivated attacks, including the June murder of Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman, or the hammer attack against the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in October 2022.
Democrats have paid respects to Kirk, a hugely influential MAGA figure, while condemning Wednesday’s attack at Utah Valley University.
“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now,” former President Joe Biden wrote on X. “Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom added, “The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”
Two people arrested in the wake of Kirk’s killing have since been released after officials confirmed they had “no current ties” to the Utah shooting.
CNN has been contacted for comment by the Daily Beast.
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