Gohmert rips 'political correctness' on anniversary of Fort Hood shooting

Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert slammed "political correctness" Tuesday in a statement commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Fort Hood shooting, alluding to a report that faulted political correctness as a reason why the FBI had not investigated warning signs about the Islamic radicalization of Maj. Nidal Hasan more thoroughly before he killed 13 people in a shooting rampage on the military base.

The report found the FBI had failed to interview Hassan when it found out about his contacts with terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki, waited too long to pursue leads and completed an assessment that was, "belated, incomplete and rushed, primarily because of their workload."

It also detailed the decision to not interview Hasan after a San Diego official recommended the FBI do so in June 2009: "This is not (San Diego), it's D.C. and (the Washington office) doesn't go out and interview every Muslim guy who visits extremist websites," a paraphrase in the report says.

"Even political correctness should not have prevented people from noticing he had been radicalized and was a threat," Gohmert said Tuesday. "Thankfully, we now have a president and an administration who understand radical Islamic jihadists are a danger to our way of life."

This undated file photo provided by the Bell County Sheriff's Department shows former Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan. Hasan, who killed 13 people in a 2009 shooting spree at a Texas Army base, has a court hearing in his case Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he is being held on the military death row. (The Associated Press)

FORT HOOD SHOOTING SURVIVOR QUESTIONS HANDLING OF CASE 10 YEARS AFTER MASSACRE

The San Diego official who recommended the FBI interview Hasan was also told the issue was "politically sensitive."

The report did not prescribe any disciplinary action against FBI employees but did make 18 recommendations for changes at the FBI to prevent such an error from happening again.

We can honor their loss by fighting apathy or political correctness that turns a blind eye to oncoming terror

— Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas

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Hasan was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013.

Nearly 50 survivors of the Fort Hood shooting were awarded Purple Hearts or Defense of Freedom medals in 2015 after a yearslong fight over whether the attack by Hasan was workplace violence or a combat incident.

"Our hearts continue to empathize with the loved ones of the victims whose lives were tragically cut short that day," Gohmert continued. "We can honor their loss by fighting apathy or political correctness that turns a blind eye to oncoming terror."

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