WaPo Ripped for 'Ugly Activism' After Tying Andy Ogles to Nashville Shooting Because He Owns Guns

From a news and commentary perspective, social media is one place that sane-minded people should absolutely avoid in the aftermath of a national tragedy.

Usually, the despicable, unhinged accusations and cheap shots from the left are fast and flowing in response to horrific incidents like devastating natural disasters and deadly mass shootings, and unfortunately, Monday was no exception to that rule.

As we previously reported, the latter took place in Nashville Monday where a 28-year-old transgender person, Audrey Hale, opened fire on students and faculty at the privately-owned Covenant Christian elementary school – a school Hale reportedly once attended, killing six including three children.

It didn’t take long after a law enforcement presser concluded before a so-called “gun safety” lobbyist added to the chaos by jumping to the microphone and trying to make the story all about her and her supposed efforts at making schools safer by advocating for restrictions on guns.

Even more reprehensible was the reaction from the Washington Post, which took some tweets from far left gun control fanatics like Shannon Watts and used them against Rep. Andy Ogles, who by that point had already issued a statement condemning the attack and calling for thoughts and prayers:

GOP congressman from Nashville district ‘heartbroken’ by shooting. A 2021 photo shows his family with firearms. https://t.co/QVXJziVgKR

— Post Politics (@postpolitics) March 27, 2023

Strangely, the Washington Post never explained how being a proponent of gun rights was inconsistent with expressing sorrow over mass shootings.

For the record, here’s one of the tweets that appeared in the WaPo piece, using a picture that anti-gun leftists are now eagerly sharing as “proof” that Ogles was somehow complicit in inspiring the shooter:

THIS is last year's Christmas card from Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican who represents the district that Covenant School is in in Nashville. #tnleg pic.twitter.com/IpkLzZs5m5

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 27, 2023

Not surprisingly, other “media” outlets also got in on the act, including Vanity Fair:

Rep. Andy Ogles’ thoughts and prayers for the Covenant School might mean more if he hadn’t gleefully posed for a Christmas card displaying an assault rifle. https://t.co/G87dBDLItf

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) March 27, 2023

But it was the Washington Post that rightfully earned the most ire from people over a “straight news” piece that could have easily been ripped off of a DNC talking points memo.

“Disgusting partisanship from you guys at The Post,” Newsbusters managing editor Curtis Houck responded. “No evidence Congressman Ogles supported what happened. If you asked him, it’d be a safe bet he believes in responsible firearm instruction.”

Matt Whitlock, a former adviser to the NRSC, also responded accordingly.

“This is such ugly activism from you guys,” he tweeted. “Shameful.”

Calling it “disgusting partisanship” and “ugly activism” is right on the money, but I guess at this point that the Washington Post can’t really help themselves considering they took a page right out of the playbooks of Democrats like Congressman like Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who once tried to smear Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) using the same gutter tactic: