Report: James T. Hodgkinson, Shooting Suspect, Belonged to ‘Terminate the Republican Party’ Facebook Group

James Hodgkinson FB profile pic (Facebook via Belleville News-Democrat and CNN) Facebook via Belleville News-Democrat and CNN

by Joel B. Pollak 14 Jun 2017

James T. Hodgkinson, the suspect in the shooting attack on a Republican baseball practice on Wednesday morning, was reportedly a member of a group called “Terminate the Republican Party.”

Hodgkinson wounded four, including House Majority Whip Steve Scales (R-LA), before succumbing to his injuries sustained in gunfire exchanges with police.

The Belleville News-Democrat, a newspaper in Hodgkinson’s former hometown of Belleville, Illinois, reports:

The shooter who was killed during gunfire at practice for a congressional baseball game Wednesday morning was from Belleville.

The shooter was James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, who belonged to a number of anti-Republican groups, including one called “Terminate the Republican Party.”

The Facebook group reportedly celebrated the killing.

The News-Democrat also cites a Facebook profile it says belonged to Hodgkinson, which featured a post from Monday: “I Want to Say Mr. President, for being an ass hole you are Truly the Biggest Ass Hole We Have Ever Had in the Oval Office.”

Other Facebook posts support Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Hodgkinson campaigned for Sanders in Iowa.

The Facebook profile is linked to a number of left-wing, anti-Republican groups, including “Terminate The Republican Party,” among others:

I do not like Trump, Cruz, the TeaParty! or “Hate-Radio” Damn! Damn! Damn! Expose Republican Fraud Boycott The Republican Party Liberal Democratic Socialist Party Investigation of Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election I Hate Donald Trump Our Revolution Street Team Boycott the Koch Brothers Industries and Products. Healthcare & Education Berners United to Resist Trump JOIN THE OCCUPY ARMY!

Hodgkinson reportedly maintained other social media accounts that authorities are probing.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. He is the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.