Louie Gohmert Apologizes For Colorado Shooting Remark: 'Grossly Taken Out Of Context'

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On Saturday, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) apologized for offending anyone with his controversial suggestion that the Aurora, Colo., shootings were the result of 'ongoing attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs,' and stressed that his remarks were 'grossly taken out of context.'

The offending remarks were made just hours after the movie theater shooting on Ernie Istook's Heritage Foundation radio program. Rep. Gohmert suggested that the massacre was a result of 'ongoing attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs' and later wondered why nobody else in the theater had a gun to help take down the shooter. Both remarks were controversial, with the latter garnering criticism from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who called the congressman 'nonsensical.'

'Some of my comments in an interview with Ernie Istook on his Heritage Foundation radio show have been grossly taken out of context,' Rep. Gohmert said in a statement over the weekend.

- RELATED: Rep. Louie Gohmert Suggests Aurora Theater Shooting Result Of 'Ongoing Attacks On Judeo-Christian Beliefs'

'Ernie is a good friend and former Congressman who asked for the interview long before the horror in Colorado. I had promised him a 10 minute interview and the topic scheduled for discussion was to be the economy and the President's comments about it,' the congressman continued. 'Instead of the prearranged interview, Ernie asked me about the shooting in Colorado mentioning a Washington Post column that already brought up the issue of gun control, as well as, asking about my own personal experience as a judge with years on the bench. Tragedies immediately become personal, and I thought about our shooting in Tyler and what a hero Mark Wilson was along with another prior shooting in Texas.'

Wilson was a Tyler, Texas resident who, in 2005, was killed after shooting a gunman who opened firing outside a courthouse. Wilson's death came while defending his wife and son from the shooter.

'As a father, my heart goes out to those who lost loved ones in this heartless attack. The killings were a senseless, outrageous act,' the Texas lawmaker concluded. 'Our thoughts and prayers continue for all those so tragically affected, and I am very sorry if my comments caused heartache to anyone in Colorado.'

Listen to the original remarks below:

(h/t Houston Chronicle)

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• Taken out of context?

  This was a verbatim audio recording.

  It's not like the hatchet jobs that the wingnuts do on the President's speeches. 

  Probably likely even his disgusting comments were too much for his wingnut constituents to handle.  Sounded exactly like something Fred Phelps from Westboro Baptist would say while justifying picketing the funerals of servicemen.

• Of course it was taken out of context. The comments was crystal clear to everyone who heard it, and it's not new (From the right). 

• Add 'liar' to a list of Louie Gohmert's accomplishments. 'Grossly taken out of context'? What a gross and false statement. For the good of all Americans, he should be taken out of the context of the House of Representatives.

• Its always comical when these right wingers claim their comments were taken out of context. What that means to the rest of the world is that they were quoted accurately, and that this is what they actually meant by it. Sorry Gohmert Pyles, its not the first time you have made dumb comments. This is the same idiot that came up with the Anchor Babies nonsense

• Bright and shining example of the party of regression.

• Gee, when Zimmerman says killing Trayvon Maritn was GOD'S PLAN the thugs are in agreement. Now with this shooting it's due to our weakening of ChristianValues. Sorry, you can't have it both ways. Besides I'm sure by the time all this is over Trayvon and the shooter will really be Muslims. 

• louie is grossly dillusional

• now you can charge him with copyright infringement since that line of defense was created by your your most high-profile dems.

• I've come to the conclusion that conservatives don't know what 'taken out of context means.'  Every time one of them winds up on Media Matters, for example, it's always, 'I was taken out of context.'  They never, ever explain in what way they were taken out of context.  It's almost as if they think 'taken out of context' means 'quoted saying something stupid.'