Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick deleted
a tweet with a Bible verse posted as news broke of a mass shooting in
an Orlando gay nightclub.
At 7 AM Sunday, Patrick tweeted from
his personal account: “Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows.”
Fifty people died and 53 others were
injured in what is being described as the worst mass shooting on
American soil.
(Related: 50
killed in Orlando gay nightclub; worst mass shooting in U.S.
History.)
The Texas Democratic Party called on
Patrick to apologize.
Patrick's adviser Allen Blakemore
called the tweet an unfortunate coincidence.
“Lt. Governor Patrick and every Texan
is stunned and saddened by the outrageous act of domestic terrorism
that has occurred in Orlando,” Blakemore
said in a statement. “Regarding this morning's scripture
posting on social media, be assured that the post was not done in
response to last night's tragedy. The post was designed and
scheduled last Thursday.”
The tweet was deleted before noon.
Patrick is a Republican opposed to LGBT rights.
(Related: Texas
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says state will ignore Obama administration's
transgender directive.)