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Republican Calls On GOP Rep. To Resign For Linking ‘Drag Queen Advocates,’ Family Breakdown To Mass Shooting. Here’s Her Response.

   DailyWire.com
Candles and flowers a placed in front of Ned Peppers bar after the mass shooting over the weekend in Dayton, Ohio on August 5, 2019. - US President Donald Trump urged Republicans and Democrats to agree on tighter gun control and suggested legislation coul
MEGAN JELINGER/AFP/Getty Images

Ohio state Rep. Candice Keller, a Republican, was hit with backlash for a Facebook post linking “drag queen advocates,” gay marriage, and the breakdown of the family, among other factors, to Sunday’s mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, which left nine innocents dead.

“After every mass shooting, the liberals start the blame game,” Keller wrote on Facebook in a post which has since been removed. “Why not place the blame where it belongs?”

“The breakdown of the traditional American family (thank you, transgender, homosexual marriage, and drag queen advocates); fatherlessness, a subject no one discusses or believes is relevant; the ignoring of violent video games; the relaxing of laws against criminals (open borders); the acceptance of recreational marijuana; failed school policies (hello, parents who defend misbehaving students): disrespect to law enforcement (thank you, Obama); hatred of our veterans (thank you professional athletes who hate our flag and National Anthem); the Dem Congress, many members whom are anti-Semitic; the culture, which totally ignores the importance of God and the church (until they elect a President); state officeholders, who have no interest whatsoever in learning about our Constitution and the Second Amendment; and snowflakes, who can’t accept a duly-elected President,” the post continued.

Keller added, “Did I forget anybody? The list is long. And the fury will continue.”

Ohio Republican Party leader Jane Timken called for Keller to resign for the “shocking” comments, USA Today reported.

“While our nation was in utter shock over the acts of violence in El Paso and Dayton, Republican State Representative Candice Keller took to social media to state why she thought these acts were happening,” Timken said in a statement, according to the outlet. “Candice Keller’s Facebook post was shocking and utterly unjustifiable. Our nation is reeling from these senseless acts of violence and public servants should be working to bring our communities together, not promoting divisiveness.”

“Establishment moderates have never been fans of mine because I ran against their endorsement and won,” Keller responded to the calls for her resignation. “As the only conservative in this race, I will be taking my Senate campaign to the voters to decide.”

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, too, said Keller should resign.

“It’s very embarrassing. She doesn’t represent the people in her community with those comments,” Jones said to The Enquirer. “She’s made a laughingstock out of Butler County, which is a shame.”

According to The New York Times, Michael Ryan, the Republican vice mayor of the city of Hamilton, called Keller’s post “a ridiculous statement to make” via Twitter. “This isn’t a time for politics. This is a time for grieving, coming together and healing,” he said.

As noted by USA Today, “Keller is not obligated to resign from the Ohio House of Representatives. Ohio lawmakers can be voted out of office or removed from their position if they are convicted of a felony. Another less-used method in the Ohio Constitution allows for the removal of a lawmaker via a vote of two-thirds of the Ohio House of Representatives. Elected officials can also be removed for ‘any misconduct involving moral turpitude’ after a complaint and hearing.”

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