Congressman Bennie Thompson has dismissed a staffer for controversial social media posts following the assassination attempt on former U.S. President and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on Saturday.
Thompson, the Democratic U.S. Representative for Mississippi’s 2nd congressional district, confirmed that Jacqueline Marsaw, a case manager and field director, has been terminated after she posted questionable comments on Facebook in the wake of the attack on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
On Saturday, the Mississippi GOP called for Marsaw’s firing, citing a now-deleted Facebook post that read, “I don’t condone violence but please get you some shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time oops that wasn’t me talking.” Marsaw had also shared other controversial messages that have since been removed from the platform.
Although Thompson did not explicitly condemn Marsaw’s statements, he said, “I was made aware of a post made by a staff member and she is no longer in my employment.”
Thompson, who denounced the assassination attempt on Trump, also faced public scrutiny for legislation he introduced in April to strip Trump of Secret Service protection ahead of Trump being found guilty of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor.
Trump and Thompson had a history of political rivalry before Thompson’s legislation to deny Trump Secret Service detail. Thompson served as the chairman of the House committee investigating Trump’s alleged role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, maintaining that Trump was responsible for the events of that day.
Officials have identified the shooter who attempted to kill Trump as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks was seen on video atop a structure, believed to be a shed, approximately 300 feet from the rally, and was allegedly armed with an AR-style rifle. He was shot and killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper after opening fire on Trump, according to reports.