Marjorie Taylor Greene Slammed for Gun Giveaway: 'Mass Shooting Waiting to Happen'

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) was slammed on Twitter after announcing that she would soon reveal the winner of her "gun giveaway."

Greene told her Twitter followers on Monday that the winner of a gun valued at $2,860 would be announced on Tuesday, while noting that over 118,000 people had entered to win the weapon. Greene's tweet and the giveaway were blasted by Twitter users before the winner was announced. Some called for Greene's resignation or described her as a "disgrace," while others expressed fears that the gun would be used in a deadly mass shooting.

"You're not only a disgrace to America and to congress, you're a disgrace to the human race," tweeted actor Kaj-Erik Eriksen.

"That's a mass shooting waiting to happen," @scottp33 tweeted.

"This nut should be on a watch list," tweeted Walter Schaub, former director of the United States Office of Government Ethics.

"You need to announce your resignation," @EdaMagician tweeted.

"How long do you think it will take before someone kills another person with it?" tweeted @LuckyMe1950.

"I want you to imagine for a second what the wiener of this 'gun giveaway' might do with their prize," tweeted @CancelFascism. "You're taking a big dumb risk by giving this away. If they use against someone it's on you."

Imagine Dragons bassist Ben McKee replied to Greene's tweet by saying that she and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), another staunch gun advocate and 2021 GOP House freshman, both "actively make life harder for children with leukemia by spreading lies about bone marrow."

"They're heartless clowns and don't deserve to be re-elected," McKee tweeted.

McKee noted that Greene and Boebert were the only two lawmakers in the House who last month voted against the National Marrow Donor Program, a service that could save the lives of those with potentially fatal blood diseases. At the time of the vote, Greene's spokesman Nick Dyer told Newsweek in a statement that the program could be used for "the funding of aborted fetal tissue by taxpayers."

Greene told Newsweek that she conducted the gun giveaway to counter purported Democratic policies and to allow people to "defend themselves from criminals."

"With increased murders due to Democrat defund the police policies, people need guns to defend themselves from criminals who feel emboldened because they know they can get away with more crimes because the police have no support," Greene said in a statement.

The congresswoman also denied that there was any backlash to the contest, calling it "fake news," while her spokesman suggested that posts on conservative social media apps Parler and Gab were "overwhelmingly positive."

"Hahaha! There is no backlash," Greene said. "That's fake news. Everyone I know wants a Honey Badger!"

When told that some had suggested the gun could be used in a mass shooting, Greene said, "That's not backlash. That's bullshit."

The winner of the contest was announced Tuesday night, with Greene vowing to personally hand over the weapon to the Alabama-based winner.

"Congratulations Marvin H. of Millbrook, Alabama, the winner of my 'Honey Badger' Gun Giveaway!" Greene tweeted. "I look forward to presenting it to him in person soon!!"

Multiple replies to the tweet asked whether the gun was going to a person who had passed a background check. Several suggestions that the gun could be used in a mass shooting also appeared within minutes of the winner being announced.

Greene has held multiple gun giveaways. The contest that concluded on Tuesday was also promoted one day after President Joe Biden issued three executive orders intended to tighten gun regulations last month. Greene tweeted that followers should enter to win the gun "before Joe Biden tries to ban it."

Greene, who was heavily associated with the false conspiracy theory QAnon when she ran for Congress, is giving away a "Honey Badger" pistol made by the gun manufacturer Q. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent the company a cease-and-desist letter over the weapon last year, claiming that it was not properly labeled as a "short-barreled rifle," which are subject to specific regulations.

"This is the same type of gun that TRIGGERS the Fake News Media and Democrats all across the country," the giveaway web page reads, alongside a photo of Greene holding the gun. "And it's the same type of gun the hate-America gun-grabbers in DC would love to BAN if they ever get the votes."

Update 5/4, 7:57 p.m.: This article has been updated to include statements from Rep. Greene, a new tweet announcing the winner of the gun contest and additional context.