Hochul denounces political violence after Trump assassination attempt

In her first public event since the alleged assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Gov. Kathy Hochul denounced political violence, while reaffirming her criticisms of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and downplaying the idea that Democratic rhetoric may have played a role in the shooting. 

At an unrelated press conference in Albany on Monday, Hochul called the shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania a “disgusting, cowardly act” and said she was “heartened to hear” that the former president is all right. At the rally on Saturday, Trump was ushered off the stage with blood on his face, and he later confirmed that a bullet grazed his ear. “Let me be clear, violence in our politics is abhorrent, and we thoroughly, thoroughly condemn it,” Hochul said during her press conference.

Hochul said that in the aftermath of the shooting, which the FBI is investigating as a likely assassination attempt, she directed state law enforcement to monitor social media for threats of violence and to work with both local and federal officials. She also said that the state police has increased patrols at “high profile” locations. The New York City Police Department bulked up its presence at places around the city as well, including Trump Tower and City Hall.

The governor said she “felt a pit in my stomach of disgust” that people can have access to semi-automatic AR-15 style rifles, like the one the alleged shooter is believed to have used. “But to a core, I am a human being too, and when someone harms another, a high profile individual I just happen to disagree with on policy – that is still another person who stepped up to offer their vision for their country,” Hochul said. “I disagree with every element of that, as does President Biden… but my god, I want to continue to be that beacon of democracy that actually functions and works, and not descend into those countries where this is the norm.”

Although Republicans have been quick to lay blame at the feet of Democrats for the rhetoric they have used on the campaign trail against Trump, Hochul said that she saw no issue with the words she had used to criticize the former president. “I would say that many of those comments were directed at policies,” she said. “None of them said to take up arms and harm another human being, none of them said go after a candidate, none of them said to go after a president or a former president.” She said there is a difference between calling for political violence and “espousing my deeply held views about what I see could happen for the future of our country.” Hochul added that she still holds those same concerns about a potential second Trump administration. 

Hochul also tactically criticized right-wing rhetoric and action, particularly since the 2020 election. “Take to the streets and march? That’s what you should be doing,” Hochul said. “But you don’t do something like call for an insurrection, and you don’t call for an attack on a place like the United State Capitol. You don’t – there is a line that you never, ever cross, and I’ll continue to call out those who cross those lines.”

President Joe Biden addressed the nation Sunday evening, calling for unity and a cooling of political rhetoric on both sides of the aisle. “Our politics must never be a literal battlefield,” the president said. “We resolve our differences at the ballot box – not with bullets.”

Trump is now in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to announce his choice for vice president and formally accept his party’s nomination for president.