Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

McConnell, GOP pushing ‘mob behavior’ branding of Dems

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is warning that recent statements and actions by Democrats and liberal writers and protesters are "only Phase One of the meltdown."

McConnell's comments Thursday on the Senate floor decrying "mob behavior" advanced an election-season argument Republicans unveiled last week.

They're accusing Democrats of condoning "mob rule" — a phrase that's popped up in GOP rhetoric since raucous demonstrators opposing Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination harangued Republicans at the Capitol last week.

McConnell described demonstrators "literally storming the steps" of the Capitol, and pointedly noted that these activities followed last year's shooting of GOP lawmakers at a morning baseball practice.

The Kentucky Republican says only one side is "happy to play host to this toxic fringe behavior."