State lawmakers reacted Monday to Saturday’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, and death of bystander, Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who spent his final moments protecting his family from gunfire.
Acknowledging heightened rhetoric in recent years on both sides of the aisle, they largely called for an adjustment in that tone.
State Assemblymember Joe Angelino told reporters on a call Monday that he is still grappling with the enormity of an assassination attempt of a former U.S. president, and the presumptive nominee of a major political party.
“We came just a few hairs away from a tragedy that would have torn this country apart,” he said. “I’m speechless over this, and I spend a lot of time thinking what could have happened, had our Republican candidate been assassinated on that stage.”
State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie referenced a post from former President Obama on X, formerly Twitter, condemning political violence and expressing relief that former President Trump was safe.
“There is no place for violence in our political discourse, My thoughts and prayers are with those that were harmed today,” he said in his own post.
Republican Assemblymember Brian Maher praised the Secret Service while acknowledging what he referenced as apparent security failures, imploring Americans to adjust the nation's political tone.
“My hope is that both sides of the aisle and their supporters do more to turn this situation into something positive and have a much better dialogue as this election cycle comes to an end this November,” he said.
On X, state Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said in a post expressing condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore and that he agrees.
"I join the bipartisan calls to turn down the rhetoric," he said. "In America, politics are settled with our voices and at the voting booth."
Deputy Senate Majority Leader Mike Gianaris similarly called for the temperature to be turned down.
"No matter how divided we are as a nation or how serious our differences, this can not be the way," he said in a post on X. "Our political disagreements should be solved peacefully at the ballot box, not by violence."
Democratic Assemblymember Pat Fahy took the opportunity to spotlight issues like gun violence, mental health, and social media use while likewise calling on fellow leaders and New Yorkers to engage in a toned down form of political debate.
“Its okay to disagree, we need healthy debates, we need healthy parties, Democrat and Republican, but we don’t need this ugliness, anger, and violent tactics,” she said.
Angelino, who represents areas of Central New York and the Southern Tier, offered some insight into how he feels that can be done based on his experience in the Assembly.
“I respect that people in the Bronx or Brooklyn got elected by their constituency, and they’re doing the same job I do,” he said. “I don’t get angry with them, it’s frustrating at times, it’s a whole different lifestyle, but we don’t hate each other because of it.”
It’s worth noting that these conversations took place without knowledge of a motive for the attack.