Person On Tea Party Conference Call Suggests Shooting Susan Collins

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is interviewed by The Associated Press, Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, in her office on Capitol Hill in Washington.
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A participant in a conference call sponsored by the Tea Party Wednesday night said the best way to get Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to listen to her constituents on the immigration reform issue would be to “shoot her,” according to ThinkProgress.

According to ThinkProgress’ transcript of the exchange, the statement was met with laughs.

“I’m from Maine and our Tea Party will be meeting up next week. What is the best way that we can get our senator to listen to us?” asked a caller who identified as Bob from Maine.

“Shoot her,” another unidentified caller responded to laughter.

“Yes, we will shoot her with…(inaudible) and phone calls,” the moderator said.

ThinkProgress also reported that the communications director for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Stephen Miller, and Robert Rector, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, joined the call. Miller apparently left the conversation before the exchange.

Collins was the only Republican to co-sponsor Sen. Patrick Leahy’s (D-VT) amendment allowing bi-national same sex couples to petition for immigrant visas for their partners. The amendment was withdrawn last week.

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