Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) launched a tweet storm against Richard Spencer on Thursday after the prominent white nationalist said „goober conservatives“ blame Russia for „racial divisions“ in the United States.
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) launched a tweet storm against Richard Spencer on Thursday after the prominent white nationalist said „goober conservatives“ blame Russia for „racial divisions“ in the United States.
Sasse’s pushback on social media started after Spencer commented on a tweet the GOP senator sent Wednesday night.
Sasse shared an article summing up comments from GOP Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) that Russian internet trolls helped feed a controversy started by President Trump about whether or not NFL athletes should be able to kneel during the national anthem.
Spencer then retweeted Sasse’s comments on Thursday morning but added: „In the minds of goober conservatives, the Russians are to blame for racial divisions.“
Sasse, over the span of roughly a half an hour, launched a string of tweets, including saying he is one of the „brown-shirt-pajama-boy Nazis“ and a „clown.“
Sasse sent 11 tweets in all, adding that Spencer doesn’t understand „human dignity“ and his ideas are both „un-American poison“ and „boring.“
Spencer, a well-known figure on the alt-right, previously said he was „proud“ of President Trump’s response to violence in Charlottesville, Va., when he blamed both white supremacists and the „alt-left.“
But Trump’s remarks sparked widespread backlash, including among Republicans in Congress, who warned that his rhetoric was divisive.
