'Despicable': Internet slams top Republican Shelby Busch for saying she will 'lynch' GOP election official Stephen Richer

WASHINGTON, DC: A top Maricopa County Republican, Shelby Busch, has sparked outrage after a video of her fantasizing about lynching Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer surfaced online. Richer, also a Republican, has been targeted by conspiracy theorists following former President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.

Shelby Busch's remarks against Stephen Richer draw cheers from audiences 

On his Twitter account, Richer posted a video of Busch, the vice chair of the Maricopa County Republican Committee, making the disturbing comment to a crowd.

Her statement drew applause from the audience, further escalating the controversy.

"If Stephen Richer walked in this room, I would lynch him!" Busch declared to cheers, Raw Story noted.

"I don't unify with people who don't believe in the principles that we believe in and the American cause that founded this country," she continued. 

Busch's remarks came shortly after she praised the importance of running candidates who are "good Christians" who "believe what we believe."

Stephen Richer said he is 'hurt' as no one protested from audiences 

Richer, who is Jewish, expressed his deep concern over Busch's choice of words and the lack of immediate condemnation from the audience.

"Interesting choice of words," he said, adding "Not, 'I'd kick his butt,' or 'I'd kill him.' But 'lynch.' Why does that word roll off her tongue given its historical context?"

"She says this after talking about good Christian values. And while some in the room laugh, nobody shouts out in protest. Nobody says, 'that's too far.' This isn't healthy. And it's not responsible. And we shouldn't want it as part of the Republican Party," he added,.

Richer also mocked Bush for her comments against him despite being second-in-command for the Maricopa County Republican Committee.

"She was the county party's 2023 "volunteer of the year." She's an advisor to Kari Lake and others," Richer wrote.

"She also runs an "election integrity" group called "We The People AZ" that receives funding from Mike Lindell, Patrick Byrne, and Mike Flynn," he added. 

Internet reacts to Shelby Busch's violent rhetoric at Stephen Richer

The video has triggered a wave of reactions online. One commenter on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "This is a threat of violence; I hope the FBI is paying attention."

Another user, identifying as a Republican but against Trump, suggested, "You need to file a police report and restraining order on the grounds of her wanting to murder you, bro."

Supporters of Richer also chimed in with concern and support. "Yeah that is not right. We can have differences of opinions but rhetoric of this nature is totally unacceptable. Not good. Sorry this happened Stephen."

Another added, "Despicable thing to say. To be fair, the applause was much more muted after she said that compared to the previous applause line. Room was probably mentally catching up to what she just said."

While many condemned Busch's remarks, some supported her. One commenter defended her by writing, "The moral of this story is 'Don’t Steal Elections.'"

Another person echoed this sentiment, saying, "That's what happens when you steal elections. She's not alone, sir."

"We are patriots who whole heartedly believe in the Constitution. You are not one of us," wrote one more Trump supporter.

One wrote, "I’m pretty sure lynching people you disagree with is not one of the founding principles of this country."

 "Stephen you cannot let the devil break you down. Stay strong," wrote one commenter in an attempt to cheer him up. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.