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Politics

FDP Legislative Committeeman Apologizes for Saying He'd 'Pull the Trigger' on Julian Assange and Edward Snowden

July 7, 2017 - 9:00am
Evan Ross
Evan Ross

A Florida Democratic Party legislative committeeman is apologizing for saying he would “pull the trigger” on Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Edward Snowden after facing days of intense backlash and death threats over his comments. 

On Friday, FDP committeeman and Democratic lobbyist Evan Ross told Sunshine State News he’s sorry for the tweet which spiraled his life into chaos after it was published to hundreds of thousands of people online. 
 
“I regret my words and apologize for them,” Ross said. “I chose them out of emotion rather than thoughtfulness.”
 
Ross said his comments “do not represent” him or what he believes.
 
“I abhor violence and would never seek to harm anyone,” he continued. “I would take back my words if I could. I offer my apology to those who I offended and will use this opportunity to learn and grow.”
 
It all started when Ross took to Twitter in a rant centered around Assange and Snowden. 
 
"He exposed classified American secrets that endangered lives.” Ross wrote at the time. "He and his buddy Edward Snowden both deserve to meet their maker. I'd be happy to pull the trigger on both of those too."
 
Ross hit send. The damage was done.
 
It didn’t take long for Assange to catch wind of the threats and the Australian computer programmer quickly tweeted out a response, screenshotting the tweets and trashing Ross as a “#tolerantliberal.”
 
Assange’s Twitter account has nearly 250,000 followers, some of whom went after Ross for making the comments. Twitter users flooded Ross’ mentions, criticizing him for making the comments. Some users even sent him death threats. 
 
Yet, in spite of the backlash, Ross refused to back down from the statements earlier this week, saying he had no regrets about expressing his thoughts. 
 
"I believe strongly in the right to free speech, but I won't be bullied into trading my patriotism for political correctness by Julian Assange or his army of Twitter trolls," Ross wrote in an email to the Miami New Times.
 
Now it appears Ross is changing his tune, hoping to assuage the outrage over the comments. 
 
A budding young Democratic lobbyist, Ross is heavily involved in the South Florida Democratic scene, working as a lobbyist, and serving as president of the Miami-Dade Young Democrats. He was the Miami Democratic Party’s district chairman from 2011-2012.
  
FDP chair Stephen Bittel hand-picked Ross to serve on the party’s legislative committee earlier this year, working hand-in-hand with state lawmakers to push the party’s agenda through the halls of the Florida Capitol.
 
The FDP had not commented on Ross’ tweets at the time of this article’s release, but not everyone was buying the apology he was selling. 
 
“I don’t believe one word of it,” said Democratic African American Women Caucus president Leslie Wimes. “I believe he was told by the FDP to apologize to get rid of the bad press, but it is exactly how he feels. He is a monster.”
 
Wimes said Ross needed to ask for forgiveness from the people he wrote about if he felt true remorse.
 
“If he really wanted to do the right thing, he would apologize to Assange and Snowden,” she said.
 
 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.


 

 

Comments

"APOLOGIES" are NOT accepted from non-thinking morons who think apologies are a "license to act stupid or create harm"; These fools were raised to receive praise & trophies & 'pats on the head' for merely "attending", or even "soiling their diapers and the dark corners in their environment"... "APOLOGIES"???.. NO!, NADA! Stay out of politics, GROW UP and get a real job where you can stay out of the limelight and remain anonymous (Voter's, put Evan Ross on your s**t-list, just in case he "shows up" again)

That good for nothing low life, sorry excuse for a human being is not the president of the Miami-Dade Young Democrats. That needs to be corrected. Evan Ross is a heartless, good for nothing virus that has been unleashed on the party for his own personal gain. White privilege, where you don't have to work for nothing and it's all handed to you, I guess is a beautiful thing.

So, If I should encounter him...ask questions later? Apologize to his family later? Gotta stay on top of it nowadays. All these Dimms acting as though they've given themselves a free pass to be an ass.

Hahaha!! Oh this is priceless! Evan Ross is getting exactly what he deserves! He and his Zionist bs is finally meeting karma! Beautiful! Perhaps now he will learn to keep his big mouth closed!!

The Democrats and the left have quit pretending that they 'abhor' violence and openly promote it. Congressman Scalise was shot, among others, just for being a Republican by a deranged Bernie Sanders supporter. We have had 8 years of anti-police rhetoric by the previous administration has led to numerous attacks and murder of brave police officers, recently a woman in NYC. Take responsibility and quit promoting violence.

Leslie wimes is a racist whack job. The fdp should take her out.

Anyone who can constantly withstand the unpleasant "slings & arrows" of outrageous fools and still remain standing, is OK "in MY book"!

Keep up the good fight Leslie...(Hamlet is beyond the ken of fools)

You go Leslie! Always throwing shade! No need to wear sunglasses with her!

Well, now we know who they would call if they did! EVAN ROSS, FDP in house murderer!!!

Takes a lot of courage and character to make a statement like that, Anonymous. Why don't you step out of the shadows, pull up the blinds and sign your name to it? #NoCharacter #NoCourage #NoBalls

And I guess that's the name that is on YOUR birth certificate? Own your in house murderer, Florida Democratic Party, and that is EVAN ROSS!!! #EatIt #Killer

So who told rat-boy to apologize? Bittel? Mommy? Daddy? Someone did. The sleaze bag didn't do it on his own. He prides him self on licking the backside of others, so someone whose heiny he kisses ordered this!

Comments are now closed.

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