Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) said in a statement Friday that he was “stunned” when an elderly man asked what he called the “abhorrent question ‘Who’s going to shoot Obama?’”
“I deeply regret that this incident happened at all,” Broun said in a statement. ”Furthermore, I condemn all statements — made in sincerity or jest — that threaten or suggest the use of violence against the President of the United States or any other public official. Such rhetoric cannot and will not be tolerated.” Broun also said his office “took action with the appropriate authorities.”
Broun said that he “was stunned by the question and chose not to dignify it with a response; therefore, at that moment I moved on to the next person with a question.”
But two witnesses told TPM that Broun chuckled along with the crowd when the elderly man asked the question. And a report said that Broun didn’t immediately move on but rather responded to the question by stating that “there’s a lot of frustration with this president.”
Max Milien, a spokesman with the Secret Service, told TPM on Friday that the incident had been “thoroughly investigated” and that no charges had been filed.
We’ll keep trying to reach out to Broun’s office for clarification on his reaction and update if we hear back.
Ryan J. Reilly
Ryan J. Reilly is a D.C.-based reporter for TPM. Prior to joining TPM, he worked for a news website covering the Justice Department and was a researcher for Bloomberg News. His email address is ryan(at)talkingpointsmemo.com.