The Utah News Dispatch reports Lee claimed the incident that took the lives of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, was the result of “Marxism.”
Lee posted photos of the suspect on X with the captions, "Nightmare on Waltz Street," and "This is what happens - When Marxists don't get their way."
The post was a dig at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who called the shootings “an act of targeted political violence,” although police have yet to publicly announce the shooter’s motive.
The alleged shooter, Vance Boelter, 57, was appointed to a Workforce Development Council by former Democratic Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016, then reappointed in 2019 by Walz, according to the Minnesota Reformer.
Boelter was arrested Sunday, suspected of the murder of the Hortmans and allegedly wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in a separate shooting.
Police say Boelter had a “hit list” of 45 Democratic elected officials. He’s facing several charges, including first-degree murder.
The Utah senator has faced widespread backlash for his comments from lawmakers and the public, including calls for his resignation.
The senator has not yet apologized for his remarks, and some posts blaming the violence on the “left” remain on his personal X page.
Few members of Utah’s congressional delegation have commented on Lee’s social media posts.
In a statement to KUTV, Rep. Blake Moore said he “clearly” did not support or condone the senator’s posts.
