Justice thanks God, calls to ‘stop the violence’ following Trump assassination attempt

Gov. Jim Justice on Monday, July 15, 2024, delivered an address in response to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, July 13. 2024. (Screenshot from Gov. Jim Justice’s briefing)

Following what’s being treated as an assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump over the weekend, Gov. Jim Justice called on West Virginians to “stop the hate” during a live address on Monday.

In his remarks, Justice — who described Trump as a “really personal friend” — said he wanted to see an end to divisive political rhetoric. He said violence and hate, in his opinion, has “just amped up all over the place” under President Joe Biden’s term in the executive office.

“From the standpoint of our politicians, we’ve got to amp down the rhetoric. We’ve got to get back to where we’re respecting one another, whether Democrat or Republican, independent, whatever it may be,” Justice said. “We came this close to losing the next president of the United States of America, a president that we had just a few years back.”

Trump is the likely presidential nominee for the Republican Party and in November is expected to face off against Biden in his bid for the Oval Office. 

The former president was shot in the ear while addressing a crowd of his supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. According to statements from his campaign, Trump was “doing well” to recover from the injury. He is expected to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, where he is poised to receive his official candidate nomination.

The gunman who fired at Trump was identified by the FBI on Sunday as 20-year-old Bethel Park resident Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed by authorities at the scene. Officials have not released any information regarding Crooks’ motivation for the shooting or any ideologies that could be related.

In his remarks Monday — which included an urge to reinstate “prayer in schools” and vague calls for criminal justice reform — Justice said it was “a miracle” that the bullets fired didn’t kill Trump and thanked God for the “blessing.”

“We saw a miracle right in front of our eyes. How could the bullet have really missed his head?” Justice said. “… This was a shot that some way God above guided away from this great man, for all of us to be able to see.”

Rally-goer Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed and two other attendees were critically injured in the shooting, according to reports. Comperatore, a fireman and Butler County resident, was attending the rally with his family at the time of his death.

Reactions from other West Virginia lawmakers

Justice’s address to the public was one of many from West Virginia officials, who widely condemned the shooting and political violence generally.

Locally, nearly all lawmakers in the West Virginia House of Delegates signed onto a statement Monday calling the shooting a “heinous act” that should serve as a “deadly reminder” of the impact of divisive political speech.

“When everyday political discourse equates the ladies and gentlemen in public service with monsters, when it becomes commonplace to call a political rival an enemy, the real evil is in the threat that can rise from those words,” read the statement.

Del. Geoff Foster, R-Putnam, is the only delegate who explicitly opted out of signing onto the statement, saying he “couldn’t endorse the language,” according to Ann Ali, deputy chief of staff and communications director for the House.

West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, said in a statement that the attempt on Trump’s life was a “despicable and cowardly act.”

“Such acts of violence are not only an assault on an individual but an act of violence against our entire country and our democratic system of government. In the United States, we decide our elections with ballots, not with bullets,” Pushkin wrote. “I encourage all West Virginians and all Americans to recommit ourselves to democratic principles and to the noble ideals that have made our country a beacon of hope around the world.”

On the federal level, Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., who currently holds the congressional seat Justice is campaigning to take come November, said in a statement Sunday that the shooting, though the actions of only one man, should not come as a surprise to anyone given the “toxic political environment” present on “both sides of the political spectrum.”

“Sadly, one innocent [rally-goer] is dead and others injured because we have allowed hate speech to become a rallying cry for political violence. We are fortunate that former President Donald Trump was only wounded and will recover,” Manchin wrote. “This should be a wake-up call for all of us. This is a moment where Americans must come together to support the ideals that make our nation great. It is a time to put country before party. On both sides …”

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said in a statement that she was “shocked and horrified” at the assassination attempt and was “thankful” Trump survived.

“Now more than ever, we need to come together as Americans,” Capito wrote. “Violence of any kind has absolutely no place in our country and I condemn it entirely. Like many Americans, I have questions around this attack and it is important we understand how and why this terrible act of violence occurred.”

In the House, Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., said she was heartbroken for Comperatore’s family following his death.

“Political violence has no place in America, and we will never surrender to hateful fear tactics,” Miller said, “I thank God that President Trump survived this assassination attempt and I’m more confident than ever that he is the leader America needs.”

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