Fact check: Have any assassination attempts against conservative politicians been linked to domestic terrorism since 2014?

1. Summary of the results

The question of whether any assassination attempts against conservative politicians have been linked to domestic terrorism since 2014 is complex and multifaceted. According to ^[6], the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer, is an example of an assassination attempt against a conservative politician that can be linked to domestic terrorism. However, ^[5] suggests that most domestic terrorists in the U.S. are politically on the right, and right-wing attacks account for the vast majority of fatalities from domestic terrorism, which contradicts the claim that left-wing groups are the primary perpetrators of political violence. Additionally, ^[4] reports that the killing of Charlie Kirk was carried out by an individual motivated by Kirk's perceived hatred and did not appear to be part of a larger group. It is also worth noting that ^[1] provides a list of high-profile acts of violence in the US political scene since President Trump was first elected in 2016, which includes the shooting at a charity baseball game and the plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, but does not specifically focus on assassination attempts against conservative politicians ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

A key aspect missing from the original statement is the definition of domestic terrorism and how it relates to the incidents mentioned. As ^[2] notes, radical acts perpetrated by individuals associated with left-wing causes are less likely to be violent, while Islamist extremists are more likely to engage in violent acts globally, providing a nuanced understanding of the complexities of political violence ^[2]. Furthermore, ^[3] discusses the rise of far-right extremism and white supremacist violence, but does not specifically mention assassination attempts against conservative politicians, highlighting the need to consider the broader context of political violence ^[3]. Another important consideration is the motivation behind the attacks, as ^[4] mentions that the killing of Charlie Kirk was motivated by the perpetrator's perception of Kirk's hatred, rather than a specific ideological or political agenda ^[4].

• The role of hyperpartisanship and misinformation in fueling political violence, as mentioned in ^[6], is also a crucial context to consider.
• The response of law enforcement and government agencies to incidents of political violence, as discussed in ^[7], is another important aspect to examine.
• The distinction between left-wing and right-wing extremism, as highlighted in ^[5], is essential to understanding the complexities of domestic terrorism.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading in its implication that left-wing groups are the primary perpetrators of assassination attempts against conservative politicians. As ^[5] suggests, most domestic terrorists in the U.S. are politically on the right, and right-wing attacks account for the vast majority of fatalities from domestic terrorism ^[5]. This framing may benefit those who seek to shift the focus away from right-wing extremism and onto left-wing groups, as mentioned in ^[4], which reports on the Trump administration's plan to target left-wing groups despite evidence suggesting that right-wing ideologies have fueled more than 70% of all extremist attacks and domestic terrorism plots in the United States since 2002 ^[4]. Additionally, the statement may be influenced by a biased narrative that overlooks the complexities of political violence and the need for a nuanced understanding of the motivations and ideologies behind these incidents, as discussed in ^{[2] [2]}.