Wajahat Ali, a New York Times contributing op-ed writer and CNN contributor expressed glee as “#MassacreMoscowMitch” — an apparent reference to mass shootings and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) — trended on Twitter Monday and even tweeted out the hashtag himself.

“#MassacreMoscowMitch is trending. I still have faith in America,” Ali tweeted before deleting the post amid criticism from center-right journalists.

Oh just a CNN contributor and NY Times contributing writer tweeting completely normal stuff pic.twitter.com/QpNfFjYWCe — Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) August 6, 2019

OAN Tipping Point host Liz Wheeler tweeted of Ali’s post: “If you whine about incendiary rhetoric from politicians – especially after TWO mass shootings this weekend – but you also tweet #MassacreMoscowMitch at a politician BECAUSE YOU DON’T LIKE HIM, then you can sit the hell down.”

If you whine about incendiary rhetoric from politicians – especially after TWO mass shootings this weekend – but you also tweet #MassacreMoscowMitch at a politician BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE HIM, then you can sit the hell down. — Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) August 6, 2019

Newsbusters managing editor Curtis Houck wrote:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that at least a few of the people who'd argue that the President and Fox News are to blame for the El Paso terrorist attack have no problem with the notion of #MassacreMoscowMitch and that's a problem. — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 6, 2019

The hashtag is a reference to McConnell’s staunch opposition to gun control legislation. In February, the House passed a bill that would have mandated universal background checks for gun purchases. Democrats have called on the Kentucky Republican to cancel the Senate’s August recess in order to respond to the El Paso and Dayton shootings that took the lives of 31 people over the weekend. “El Paso, Dayton, one awful event after another. @SenateMajLdr McConnell must call the Senate back for an emergency session to put the House-passed universal background checks legislation on the Senate floor for debate and a vote immediately,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tweeted Sunday.

Ali confirmed that he was deleting the tweet Tuesday morning after it sparked backlash, claiming others were spreading it in “bad faith.”

This hashtag trended bc people called out Mitch McConnell for his refusal to let the Senate vote on gun control and election security bills. The right wing knows it but in bad faith are trying to "both sides" & shame. In good faith I deleted it but they're not fooling anyone. pic.twitter.com/UAhXrVAA3T — Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) August 6, 2019

He continued venting, accusing “right wing trolls” of an attempt to “deflect” discussions about gun control and “white supremacist terrorism.”

“Don’t let them rattle you. Keep moving forward,” the CNN contributor told his 140,000 followers.

Bad faith right wing trolls, many with blue checkmarks, are out today. They're hungry and desperate. Anything to deflect from gun control, white supremacist terrorism or talking about Trump and their enabling of his racism. Don't let them rattle you. Keep moving forward. — Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) August 6, 2019

In the wake of the shootings, gun control activists have turned the volume up on their incendiary rhetoric targeting McConnell. On Sunday evening, gun control supporters protested outside the lawmaker home in Kentucky and shouted death threats.

“Murder Turtle!” protesters were heard chanting, according to video footage shared to Facebook.

“The bitch home — we keep seeing the lights go on and off,” another demonstrator is heard saying. “This hoe really thought he was going to get ready to be at home after he hurt his little punk ass shoulder. Bitch, don’t nobody give a fuck! Fuck your thoughts and prayers, Mitch. Fuck you, fuck your wife, fuck everything you stand for. ”