Minnesota Senator Tina Smith directly confronted Utah Senator Mike Lee for spreading misinformation on social media related to a shooting that killed her friend Melissa Hortman. Lee’s posts falsely labeled the Minnesota shooter as a “Marxist” and blamed the state’s governor for Hortman’s death, contributing to a wave of false claims circulating online after the tragedy. Smith criticized Lee for his “brutal and cruel” posts, emphasizing how they fuel hatred and misinformation. Right-wing social media accounts quickly propagated conspiracy theories about the shooter, misrepresenting his motives and political affiliations.

Influential figures like Collin Rugg and Mike Cernovich further escalated the misinformation, with Cernovich even suggesting that Governor Tim Walz ordered the assassination. Laura Loomer and others on the far-right also spread baseless claims, attempting to tie the shooter to unrelated political events. Even Elon Musk amplified the false narrative to his massive following.

The misinformation campaign ignored evidence of the shooter’s actual political leanings as a Trump supporter, with his extremist views revealed in recorded sermons. Influencers misleadingly portrayed the shooter as a close associate of Governor Walz, despite his appointment being routine and lacking a personal relationship with Walz.

While some Republican officials pushed back against the rumors, the incident underscores the dangers of spreading false information and the impact it can have on public discourse and perception. Amidst the tragedy, the episode highlights the importance of responsible communication and fact-checking in the digital age.