Evening Report © Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette CEO killing puts spotlight on violence, health industry
THE BRAZEN KILLING of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has ignited a new cultural debate around political violence and the health care industry, while bringing renewed scrutiny to an insurance system that many view as hopelessly corrupt. On social media, an online contingent of figures on the populist left and right are holding up shooting suspect Luigi Mangione as something of a folk hero. Political leaders have rebuked those celebrating the murder. However, the incident revealed a simmering anger at the U.S. health care system, which is seen by many as broken, cruel and financially punitive toward patients. Mangione suffered from chronic back pain and wrote a manifesto that reportedly described industry executives as “parasites” who “had it coming.” Some Democrats are walking a fine line between condemning the murder and using it to draw attention to health care industry abuses. “This is a warning that if you push people hard enough, they lose faith in the ability of their government to make change,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) told The Huffington Post. “Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said the murder is “unacceptable,” but that the “outpouring of anger at the health care industry” is justified. The populist streak coursing through modern culture and politics has scrambled traditional left-right alliances. On Wednesday, Warren and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) released a bill that would force health insurers to sell off pharmacies. LAWMAKERS RESPOND TO THOSE CELEBRATING MURDER Online support for Mangione has blossomed in some corners of social media. Mangione’s defense attorney said he’s received offers to pay the suspect’s legal bills, while the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pa., where Mangioni was apprehended has received an avalanche of negative online reviews. Amazon has pulled several products seemingly celebrating the killing. Political leaders, such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), have rebuked the online contingent celebrating Thompson’s murder as ghoulish. “Some attention in this case, especially online, has been deeply disturbing, as some have looked to celebrate instead of condemning this killer. In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this: He is no hero.” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) blasted a New York magazine article that said Thompson’s killing was “inevitable.” “The public execution of an innocent man and father of two is indefensible, not ‘inevitable’,” he posted on X. “Condoning and cheering this on says more about YOU than the situation of health insurance.” Mangioni was denied bail on the same day that Thompson was laid to rest, his family mourning. The suspect is currently fighting extradition back to New York. The New York Police Department is worried about “copy-cat activity,” with NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner telling WABC-TV: “Whenever an incident of this high prominence takes place, our work is to get ahead of any residence, in particular any copy-cat activity that it may inspire.” It’s a tense moment in national politics, underscored by the two assassination attempts against President-elect Trump during the campaign. • A 33-year old man was arrested Wednesday for accosting Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C) on Capitol Hill. • Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she’s “heartsick” to learn that a woman died in a traffic accident with police who were responding to a bomb threat at her home earlier this week. Read more: • Social media sympathy for accused killer sparks pushback. • What motivated CEO shooting suspect? Here’s what to know. • How the internet became obsessed with “the hot assassin.” • Mangione’s dark descent from promising student to murder suspect.
Evening Report – CEO killing ignites new culture debate
