Shannon Watts, a Democratic political operative and gun control activist, torched a rising progressive kingmaker on Friday, accusing him of trying to brush off his past controversial comments online.
In her view, Hasan Piker, a far-left streamer, used the same playbook to downplay his unhinged claims after facing backlash on social media.
“Hasan Piker defense Bingo card: ‘It’s a joke, satire, hyperbole. It’s out of context. It was years ago,’” Watts said in her post. “’English is my second language. I stream for hours. Bad faith clipping. Smear campaign. Critics are being paid for Israel.’”
It didn’t take long for Piker to fire back — even as he admitted the pattern.
“All of that is true and valid. You behave as a GOP operative. You’re a shameless grifter who doesn’t care about the Dem Senate majority or punishing Trump,” Piker wrote.
“And you are a copycat of MAGA tactics engaging in alternative facts,” Fred Guttenberg, a Democratic activist whose daughter was murdered in the Parkland shooting, fired back. “As a Jewish person whose daughter was murdered in the Parkland shooting and whose brother died because of 9/11, your attack on Shannon is batsh– crazy and your comparison of the NRA and AIPAC only confirms your insanity.
“Using your MAGA styled attacks against someone like Shannon or me won’t work. Stop being a copycat,” he continued.
Watts’ online clash with Piker showcases the concern some Democrats have shown over comments, posts and videos that have resurfaced among progressives.
For example, concerns about former Senate candidate Graham Platner started as eyebrow-raising Reddit posts ballooned into sexual assault allegations.
Michigan’s Senate Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, came under fire for past calls to defund the police. Watts’ spat with Piker puts a question mark on whether the party’s banner carriers should shoulder more responsibility for their past rhetoric.
Watts, who has dedicated the last 14 years to gun control advocacy, has boldly argued in recent months that Democrats are turning a blind eye to the online histories of some of their candidates at the expense of their electability and trustworthiness.
Although he himself is not running for office, Piker has drawn scrutiny for a long list of controversial remarks, especially as he acts as a surrogate for El-Sayed and other progressive candidates.
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In 2019, Piker famously said that “America deserved 9/11,” arguing later that the U.S. had “brought it on itself.” He would later walk it back and call it “inappropriate” after massive backlash online.
Once, when asked if he supported terrorism, Piker answered by saying, “No, I don’t. I don’t support the state of Israel, and I don’t support the state of the United States of America.”
Piker’s clash with Watts began when some of those past comments cost him on Thursday after the University of Washington said it had decided to cancel an upcoming event with him, citing his rhetoric on Israel.
In response, Piker took to X, arguing that Democrats should stand up for First Amendment principles.
“We must fight back against the undemocratic & unamerican forces of Trumpism, which means protecting free speech and due process, two fundamental rights Trump is actively seeking to destroy at this moment!” Piker wrote.
The comment prompted a retort from Watts, noting that Piker has a seemingly uneven track record of calling for the defense of rights.
She recalled an instance where Piker had encouraged President Donald Trump to “lock up” a longtime Dem nemesis.
“When Trump threatened to arrest Adam Schiff for being his political enemy, Hasan Piker said: ‘Oh my God, I hope they arrest him. Oh my God, I hope he goes to prison. Yeah, this is political. Sure. I don’t care. Lock him up. Lock him up,’” Watts reminded audiences.
Piker has repeatedly criticized Schiff for receiving contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and for, in his view, not doing enough to push back against U.S. ties to Israel.
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In 2019, Piker told Schiff to “suck my entire d—” while bashing the senator for hosting a fundraiser hosted by Raytheon, a prominent U.S. defense contractor.
Piker, faced with his own past words, said his remarks about Schiff had been a joke.
“I voted for him. This is a joke, you dumb—,” Piker responded to Watts.
A Democratic commentator fired back at Piker’s comment, asking, “How is it a joke? You just gonna say that for every single thing you’ve said? You are very clearly serious in this video.”
Representatives for Piker did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital on whether the party’s base was placing enough emphasis on past online comments, or at what point online rhetoric should be disqualifying for political candidates.
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