The Republican senator from Utah suggested in social media posts that the killings were the work of “Marxists,” and mocked Minnesota’s Democratic governor. He later issued a more sober condemnation of the violence.

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) confronted Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) on Monday evening after his controversial online posts about the political assassination and attempted murder of Minnesota state lawmakers. Lee downplayed and joked about what authorities say were politically motivated shootings over the weekend by Vance Boelter,

Minn., confronted Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on Capitol Hill Monday after he posted unfounded claims on social media that the alleged gunman who shot two legislators and their spouses is a liberal and may have been associated with Gov.