DHS secretary calls social media rhetoric following UnitedHealthcare CEO killing "extraordinarily alarming"

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

December 22, 2024 / 11:03 AM EST


Washington — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called the social media rhetoric "extraordinarily alarming" that followed the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month, warning of the risk of violent extremism it poses.

Mayorkas said in an interview that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that he's "alarmed" by the "heroism that is being attributed to an alleged murderer of a father of two children on the streets in New York City," as the the insurance executive's killing in midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4 has prompted scattered celebration on social media — and lionizing of the man charged in the deadly shooting.

"It speaks of what is really bubbling here in this country, and unfortunately we see that manifested in violence, the domestic violent extremism that exists," Mayorkas said.

Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect, faces federal charges including murder. Investigators' working theory of the motive is animosity toward the health care industry. On social media, support for the suspect has materialized surrounding grievances toward perceived inequalities in the insurance and health care systems.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alejandro-mayorkas-brian-thompson-united-healthcare-ceo-killing-alarming/

[area51]

1. What's really alarming

is our crappy insurance system, that our government is loath to change.

[PatrickforB]

18. You've got that right. These healthcare insurance Wall Street asshats have been perpetrating

ECONOMIC VIOLENCE on Americans for decades.

It is PAST TIME to get the profit motive the heck out of our healthcare.

[IbogaProject]

23. Don't forget the medical practice corps

The super high prices from Big Pharma and the super consolidation of medical providers are another layer in this vomit cake that is our health care system.

[Southern_gent]

31. It has changed

The ACA was a huge change to health insurance. Not only were preexisting conditions covered but it also capped the profit a health insurance company could make. It mandated essential services be covered. It changed a lot!

[SunSeeker]

2. I would imagine the Homeland Security Secretary has a lot of things he's alarmed about.

And a lot of those threats, especially the right wing militias, aren't already arrested lone wolf actors like Luigi Mangione.

[Ritabert]

3. He's just alarmed that people have had enough

How many more indignities are we supposed to put up with? Trump/Musk threatening SS and Medicare. UHC and other insurance companies denying coverage.

[NotHardly]

4. If they're paying attention, they all should be alarmed,... a beast awakens

[Faux pas]

5. What's the difference between

Brian Thompson soft killing thousands and Mangionre shooting one? Thousands.

[magicarpet]

7. Thompson got a huge financial bonus for his efforts to push thousands into an early grave.

Mangione will likely get life in prison for sending one to an early grave,... and no huge monetary bonus.

[riversedge]

26. Mangione deserves life in prison without parole!-- I would add hard labor. Shooting someone in the back

is an act of cruelty!! First he needs to be convicted by a jury.

[Faux pas]

30. All of this is

crazy! Greed is the deadliest sin.

[questionseverything]

6. What should alarm him is how many have died since then of treatable disease

Because profit trumps all

What should alarm him is the hundreds of thousands that needlessly suffer every day because of bs insurance denials

They are so far above us in their ivory towers they are clueless

[Voltaire2]

8. I am just *slightly* more alarmed at the endless violent terrorist attacks against school children. nt.

[Grokenstein]

9. "Oh no! The peasants are fingering their pitchforks!!"

"Call forth the National Guard!!"
"Damn it, there was another school shooting."
"Oh, get over it. It's just the new normal. The price you pay for freedom. Focus!!"

[Renew Deal]

10. He's partially right. It's a troubling trend.

Between the Trump assassination attempt, Jan 6, and this. It seems like the door to change through violence has been pushed open, partially because so many people in power are unaccountable. These may be the first shots in a much bigger situation.

[Think. Again.]

11. I agree...

...our elected officials better start paying attention to the needs of their constituents instead of the wants of lobbyists reaaaalll soon.

[Hope22]

25. TSF will be remembered for maximizing political gain from surviving

sketchy, poorly orchestrated assassination attempts. That man milked that cow until it was just shy of dry. Just saying. We will never know. Hoping his survival will enable him to be held accountable for his crimes one day. There is always hope.

[Think. Again.]

12. Yes, Secretary Mayorkas, alarms are warnings.

Respond accordingly.

[Buddyzbuddy]

13. Tik, tock, tick, tock

[mzmolly]

14. It's also alarming that the insurance industry

kills thousands of fathers, mothers and children in the US to make a buck for CEO's and stockholders.

What an out of touch response.

[NotHardly]

15. Guy kills rich guy terrorist Guy kills multiple black partitioners ...crickets.

[cstanleytech]

16. Well... what do you expect would happen when companies like UHC make decisions that end up hurting or killing people?

[yaesu]

17. well, i call rich elitists getting away with crime in this shithole country "extraordinarily alarming". nt

[Orrex]

19. Don't know how "alarming" it is, but Mayorkas can't pretend that it's surprising

An industry that rakes in huge profits through extortion and the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people? Yeah, what a shock that someone would decide to respond with aggression.

[Linda ladeewolf]

20. I'm not worried about being assassinated

But then, I’m not the CEO of a big company known for letting people die.

[Jack Valentino]

21. I was not particularly alarmed that the target of a random shooting

was someone who used their powers in ways that would harm others, and did---

rather than that another truly "random" person died,
who never had powers to harm anyone--- particularly CHILDREN!

[LT Barclay]

22. In related news, genetic testing has shown that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is

a long lost descendent of Marie Antionette.

[truthisfreedom]

24. People aren't "celebrating" an assassination.

They’re simply “denying a claim” for sympathy that’s “out of their”emotional “network.”

[Cobalt Violet]

27. Imagine their alarm when the jury is hung.

[Scrivener7]

28. And what will they do with their alarm?

[Owens]

29. Alarming?

What was alarming was he did nothing after the CEO denied life-saving healthcare to thousands of people who paid their insurance and died because of the CEOs greed.