The headline of a Fusion article — published after the shooting at a Republican congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, in which House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) was critically injured — declares that Scalise is a "bigoted homophobe."
The piece by Anne Branigin noted reported connections between Scalise and Ku Klux Klan icon David Duke and that Scalise has consistently voted against LGBT rights.
It isn't too surprising, therefore, that Branigin then offered what she called "a point of especially delicious irony."
Scalise, she said, "may owe his life to a queer black woman."
Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner — one of the special agents on Scalise’s security detail who helped neutralize gunman James T. Hodgkinson — was wounded in the shootout.
And Griner's wife, Tiffany Dyer, was with her in the hospital, according to a White House press pool report.
Griner was shot in the ankle, the Hill reported, adding that Griner and Dyer were given flowers by Republican President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump when they visited Griner's hospital room.
U.S. Rep Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said Griner kept firing even though she'd already been hit — and was responsible for the fatal shot against Hodgkinson, the New York Daily News reported. Flake visited Griner and the other injured officer and told the Daily News he “thanked them for saving my life.”
The Fusion article concludes, "We’re willing to bet that Scalise is grateful too."
It should be noted that in response to reports that he spoke to a David Duke group in 2002, Scalise said, "I detest any kind of hate group. For anyone to suggest that I was involved with a group like that is insulting and ludicrous."
This story has been updated.
