GOP leaders say little to condemn violent political rhetoric

By JILL COLVIN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — In the past week, Republican Rep. Paul Gosar tweeted a video showing a character with his face killing a figure with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s face. Several House Republicans who backed a bipartisan infrastructure bill said they faced threats after their vote. In one voicemail, a caller labeled Rep. Fred Upton a “traitor” and wished death for the Michigan Republican, his family and staff.  The response from Republican leaders? Silence. Less than a year after former President Donald Trump’s supporters staged a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the GOP’s refusal to condemn disturbing rhetoric and behavior suggests an unsettling openness to some persistent level of violence in discourse.