CNN contributor Wajahat Ali deleted a tweet supporting the hashtag 'MassacreMoscowMitch' in reference to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"#MassacreMoscowMitch is trending. I still have faith in America," Ali, who also writes op-eds for the New York Times, said Monday on Twitter.

He later explained why he deleted the tweet, stating that critics were acting in "bad faith" for suggesting Ali supported violence against McConnell.

"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."



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

"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," Ali added.

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



The hashtag "MassacreMoscowMitch" trended on Twitter Monday with thousands of people on social media using the hashtag including a California congressman.



31 people will never come home because of this weekend’s gun violence, including a couple who died shielding their 2-month-old, so I hope it hurts like hell, #MassacreMoscowMitch 🖕🏻#ElPaso #Dayton #MoscowMitch #NRAIsATerroristOrganization https://t.co/2plf7MlQAj — Tara Dublin (@taradublinrocks) August 5, 2019

Our #WhiteSupremacistInChief is teasing the possibility of supporting gun reforms - while stoking hate by suggesting this weekend's shootings highlight the need for immigration reform. Ignore him. He's a racist NRA puppet. Focus on #MassacreMoscowMitch and demand Senate votes! — Rep. Jared Huffman (@JaredHuffman) August 5, 2019



The hashtag trended as critics of the Kentucky Republican claimed he wanted to shutdown debate on gun control measures.

McConnell, 77, fractured his shoulder Sunday in a fall in his Louisville home.





Earlier this month, Ali was part of a segment on CNN in which he and another contributor accused each other of racism before CNN host Anderson Cooper cut the segment to commercials.

