GOP Rep. Steve King justifies suicide attack on IRS building

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Run time: 01:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53dJyraXuPI   Posted on YouTube: February 19, 2010 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: February 23, 2010 By DU Member: Amerigo Vespucci Views on DU: 789

 

Rep. King Justifies Suicide Attack On IRS: Sympathizes With Hatred Of IRS, Hopes For Its Destruction

On Thursday, a man flew a plane into a Texas federal building in an apparent domestic terrorist attack. The suicide bomber, identified as Joseph Andrew Stack, was allegedly a right wing extremist who wrote on a website that violence “is the only answer” and expressed anger at the IRS, the federal government, and health care reform. Some on the fringe right have declared Stack a hero.

ThinkProgress caught up with Rep. Steve King (R-IA) at CPAC to talk about the attack in Texas. Asked if the right-wing anti-tax rhetoric might have motivated the attack, King implicitly agreed, noting that he had been a leading opponent of the IRS for some time. He noted that although the attack was “sad,” “by the same token,” it was justified because once the the right succeeds at abolishing the IRS, “it’s going to be a happy day for America.” He sidestepped the question of the legitimacy of the terrorists’ grievances, but sympathized by saying that “I’ve had a sense of ‘why is the IRS in my kitchen.’ Why do they have their thumb in the middle of my back”:

TP: Do you think this attack, this terrorist attack, was motivated at all by a lot of the anti-tax rhetoric that’s popular in America right now?

KING: I think if we’d abolished the IRS back when I first advocated it, he wouldn’t have a target for his airplane. And I’m still for abolishing the IRS, I’ve been for it for thirty years and I’m for a national sales tax. <...> It’s sad the incident in Texas happened, but by the same token, it’s an agency that is unnecessary and when the day comes when that is over and we abolish the IRS, it’s going to be a happy day for America.

TP: So some of his grievances were legitimate?

KING: I don’t know if his grievances were legitimate, I’ve read part of the material. I can tell you I’ve been audited by the IRS and I’ve had the sense of ‘why is the IRS in my kitchen.’ Why do they have their thumb in the middle of my back. … It is intrusive and we can do a better job without them entirely.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/02/22/king-justifies-irs-terrorism/

[no limit]

1. Joe Stack was a right winger? Lying doesn't help our cause

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. Yes, he was. Who is lying, and what is 'our' cause? nt

[no limit]

3. Well, no, he wasn't a right winger. That there is the problem, it's a lie.

and our cause would be the progressive cause I assume.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. You got ANYTHING to indicate he wasn't a RWer? nt

[no limit]

5. Lol, so now I have to prove a negative?

He was pretty upset that health care reform didn't go through, not very typical of a RWer, is it?

My main point is that what political spectrum he fell under doesn't really matter in this case and we don't have enough information to know one way or the other. Anyone saying he is a right winger or part of the tea party movemnt is just making shit up. And I don't know about you but I hate it when people just make shit up.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Do you seriously believe that only the left is worried about healthcare?

From his own statement, he was an anti-tax activist who had tried not once but several times to avoid his taxes since the 80s. And when have you EVER heard of a progressive going of the deep end and trying to take out government buildings, government bureaucracies, and government workers in a bid for heroic martyrdom?

Yes, he was a nut case, but you can be sure he was a RW nutcase.

[no limit]

7. Right, except as I said the problem is you are just making shit up

You know nothing of his political ideology other than his idiotic suicide note which had both left leaning and right leaning political statements.

Your speculation that only right wingers do terrorist acts is just that, speculation. So again, for the love of God, please stop making shit up.

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. Tell the truth. You didn't read the note, did you. nt

[no limit]

9. Actually I did, anything else?

[hmorehead]

10. Joe Stack wasn't a right winger, but he waren't no libral niether.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

12. Agreed- he drew from both sides.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

11. National sales tax vs income tax?

Never trust a Republican on tax reform. All their "reforms" favor the rich and shift a bigger share of the tax burden on the lower classes.

[Tx4obama]

13. Congressman Clyburn (D-SC) Denounces Steve King (R) on House Floor For Making Excuses For IRS Attack

Congressman Clyburn (D-SC) Denounces Steve King (R) For Making Excuses For IRS Attack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toZOyp5rVJY

More here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/23/clyburn-denounces-king-fo_n_473646.html

[KansDem]

14. Hey, Steve, haven't you heard? "If you've done nothing wrong then you've nothing to fear!"

So you shouldn't mind all that IRS attention, should you?

on edit: Another fucking GOP hypocrite! :grr: