WASHINGTON (LEX 18) — On Saturday afternoon, Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) wished his followers a "Merry Christmas" while he and others in the picture held guns.
The tweet has gained much attention on social media, including criticism for posting a picture of himself holding a weapon just four days after a Michigan high school shooting left four dead and others injured.
Merry Christmas! 🎄
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 4, 2021
ps. Santa, please bring ammo. 🎁 pic.twitter.com/NVawULhCNr
Massie has retweeted and "liked" some replies, including praise and criticism, but his office has not responded to LEX 18's request for comment.
Kentucky's lone Democratic US Representative, John Yarmuth, posted his reaction.
I’m old enough to remember Republicans screaming that it was insensitive to try to protect people from gun violence after a tragedy. Now they openly rub the murder of children in our faces like they scored a touchdown. Disgraceful.
— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) December 4, 2021
Massie was first elected to Congress in 2012 and represents the 4th district, covering northern Kentucky.
The Kenton County Democrats also released a statement, criticizing the post, and saying "the people of Kentucky's 4th Congressional District deserve better."
“Congressman Thomas Massie’s photo is morally reprehensible and makes a mockery of victims of gun violence across this country and here in the commonwealth. The fact that a sitting U.S. Congressman would post something so insensitive when the families of four teenagers are currently grieving the loss of their loved ones, only days after being gunned down in a public school in Michigan, is in poor taste and absolutely shameful.
“The Republican Congressman should take down the photo immediately and issue an apology to each of the families of the four students killed at Oxford High School.
“We have already witnessed too much loss due to irresponsible behavior and posting a picture celebrating assault weapons is more of the same. The people of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District deserve better.”
Massie is no stranger to controversy.
In August 2021, he posted a tweet that had an image criticizing vaccine requirements using Holocaust imagery. Lexington Rabbi Shlomo Litvin called the post "shameful." Massie did delete that tweet.
