Elizabeth Warren tries to walk back justification for CEO's killing while Jimmy Kimmel leans into suspect's fandom

The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson helped once again highlight the left's appetite for ideologically motivated violence. Among the radicals who came out of the woodwork to seemingly justify the targeted Dec. 4 shooting of the father of two was Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D).

The gun-control advocate who has received many financial contributions from the health and insurance industries not only seemed to exploit Thompson's death to make an apparent threat against others like him but sympathized with his alleged killer, telling the HuffPost in an interview Tuesday, "Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far."

When initially asked about the callous responses to Thompson's death, Warren told HuffPost, "The visceral response from people across this country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practices of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the health care system."

"Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far," added the failed presidential candidate. "This is a warning that if you push people hard enough, they lose faith in the ability of their government to make change, lose faith in the ability of the people who are providing the health care to make change, and start to take matters into their own hands in ways that will ultimately be a threat to everyone."

Billy Gribbin, communications director for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), responded on X, noting, "This statement invents a non-existent connection between the insane murderer and United Healthcare, which did not push this rich kid to do anything, even accidentally. He went crazy and killed someone."

'I should have been much clearer.'

Wall Street Journal film critic Kyle Smith wrote, "Absolutely vile from Elizabeth Warren."

"Really leaning into the 'but' on this one in ways no Democrat has been comfortable doing," tweeted Semafor Washington bureau chief Benjy Sarlin. "No, it is not inevitable that some weird rich kid assassinates an insurance CEO — what is this framing?"

Numerous other critics suggested that the second half of Warren's controversial sentence effectively negates the first, rendering the statement an endorsement for murder. One commentator on X made the point with a similarly formulated statement: "'Rape is never the answer but ... she was dressed provocatively.'"

In the face of incredible backlash online, Warren quickly issued a statement amending her remarks.

Igor Bobic, the author of the HuffPost piece, noted several hours later that Warren had "clarifi[ed] her remarks on the UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing and the response to it," jettisoning the second half of her original statement.

"Violence is never the answer. Period," said Warren. "I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder."

'I would visit him in prison and bake him cookies maybe.'

While the Democratic senator clarified that she actually thinks murder is wrong, fellow travelers continued to relish the bloodletting.

Jimmy Kimmel, who bemoaned the fate of "decency" following President-elect Donald Trump's victory last month, called Thompson's suspected murderer "Time's sexiest alleged murderer of the year" and "the hottest cold-blooded killer in America" on his Disney network show Tuesday. Kimmel also shared messages supposedly penned by producers on his show expressing admiration for Luigi Mangione.

One text message shared on screen said, "I love Luigi." Another message said, "Ppl are saying a NY jury has the power to find him innocent. Bc we all love him." Kimmel also posted a message that read, "I would visit him in prison and bake him cookies maybe."

Kimmel further trivialized the matter on his show the following evening, equating the shooting to a "protest."

The late-night host did, however, acknowledge this week that "sometimes when people identify with why a crime was committed, we lose sight of the reality of that crime."

'It feels like justice in this system.'

Former Washington Post writer Taylor Lorenz was among the radicals who appeared joyful this week about the reality of the crime.

Blaze News previously reported that Lorenz told Piers Morgan of "Piers Morgan Uncensored" on Monday that she "felt, along with so many other Americans, joy" upon learning of Thompson's slaying.

"I take that back. 'Joyful' is the wrong word, Piers," Lorenz later said. "Vindicated, celebratory — because it feels like justice in this system when somebody responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans suffers the same fate as those tens of thousands of Americans who he murdered."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!