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  • 2017-12-16 (xsd:date)
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  • Did President Donald Trump Host the NRA on the Anniversary of the Sandy Hook Massacre? (en)
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  • On 15 December 2017, progressive blogs reported that President Trump had hosted the head of the National Rifle Association at the White House on the fifth anniversary of Sandy Hook massacre, in which a gunman murdered twenty children and seven adults in Connecticut before killing himself: The article began: The piece cited a Facebook post published by Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick: Patrick's Facebook post described the the White House Christmas party, adding that LaPierre was among attendees. No other NRA officials were mentioned, and LaPierre was shown with Patrick (not Trump) in attached photographs. The blog's header image showing Trump and LaPierre shaking hands dated to early 2017 and was not taken at the 14 December reception. Readers came away with the impression that the White House had hosted a holiday party explicitly for the National Rifle Association: Few outlets covered the reception, but a 15 December 2017 article published by the Palm Beach Daily News written by an attendee: It included an invitation to the Holiday Reception: A 27 November 2017 Washington Post article reported that the invitation was one used for several events: The White House's blog post about the holiday season also mentions more than one event: In 2014, the Washington Post published an article about the many holiday receptions held at the White House each year, noting that members of the First Family hardly interact with guests at all because of the sheer number of such events held each year: Headlines coupled with an unrelated photograph of Trump with LaPierre exacerbated the impression that the White House had callously hosted the NRA and warmly welcomed LaPierre on the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting; but despite the unrelated image, LaPierre was just one of many people in attendance at one of many holiday events. While it can be argued that his inclusion on that date was tone-deaf, it does not appear to be a deliberate slight against victims of mass shootings. The coordination of such events is handled by the White House Social Secretary, and the President and First Lady historically make cameo appearances at the events but they rarely interact with guests. (en)
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