Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) reportedly argued Tuesday that Pulse, the Orlando nightclub that on Sunday became the site of the worst mass shooting in the nation’s history, was a “young person’s club” rather than a gay club.
Pulse describes itself as “the hottest gay bar in Orlando” on its website and while the shooter’s precise motive is not yet known, a number of the victims were part of the LGBT community. Early Sunday, 29 year-old Omar Mateen opened fire at Pulse, which was hosting a Latin night, and killed 49 people before ultimately being shot and killed by officers who stormed the scene to rescue hostages he’d taken.
Here’s what Sessions told National Journal reporter Daniel Newhauser when asked whether the shooting changed his position on a measure that would ban federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT individuals:
Asked Rules Chair Sessions if Orlando shooting changes calculation on LGBT Maloney amdmt. He argued Pulse was not a gay club.
— Daniel Newhauser (@dnewhauser) June 14, 2016
“It was a young person’s nightclub, I’m told. And there were some [LGBT ppl] there, but it was mostly Latinos” https://t.co/c5qvdSk0kF
— Daniel Newhauser (@dnewhauser) June 14, 2016
Sessions’ communications director, Caroline Boothe, told TPM that Newhauser’s quotes were correct but “taken out of context without the background information.”
“What my boss meant to say was that there weren’t only gay individuals at the club but people from all walks of life were present,” Boothe said.
She added that “at the end of the day we’re all Americans” and said Sessions’ heart grieved for everyone.
