New Mexico law enforcement has confirmed that the man behind the shooting of homes of Democratic officials was motivated by Trump’s election lies.
In an interview, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said he has no doubt that Peña was motivated by Trump’s false claims of election fraud following the former president’s 2020 defeat. Medina said Peña regularly expressed extreme views on social media and boasted of attending Trump’s Stop the Steal rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
“The individual that we’re charging believed in that conspiracy,” Medina said. “He did believe that his election was unfair and he did escalate and resort to violence as a means to find justice.”
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No one is blaming Trump for the actions of Solomon Pena, but Trump is giving disturbed individuals the fuel to act out with violence. By discrediting the democratic process, the failed former president has drawn the line between refusal to accept election defeat and political violence.
Pena bought what Trump was selling because it allowed him to deny the reality of election defeat. Trump showed his supporters how this was done after he used the big lie to incite the 1/6 attack on the Capitol.
Pena’s crimes were the logical next step in American politically inspired domestic terrorism. Until the Republican Party denounces the election denial and Donald Trump, political violence will be seen as a viable option by the far-right.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
