Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, said on April 27 that people who commit political violence should face “swift and brutal legal consequences.”
Cortes made the statement in a post on X after responding to a White House post calling for Americans to resolve political differences peacefully following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.
“Bingo. And for those radicals who refuse, the Leftists who demand violence rather than persuasion, we must bring swift and brutal legal consequences upon them,” Cortes wrote.
The White House Correspondents’ Association described the April 25 shooting at the Washington Hilton as a “harrowing moment” for attendees, according to the association. The incident occurred during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Political violence and targeted violence increased in 2025, according to the Bridging Divides Initiative. The report cited START data showing a 34.5 percent increase in terrorism and targeted violence events during the first eight months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
Cortes founded the League of American Workers in 2022. The organization says it conducts research and develops proposals on public policies affecting American workers and the economy, according to the League of American Workers.
