The Utah Republican downplayed and joked about what authorities say were politically motivated shootings over the weekend of Minnesota Democratic lawmakers.

The Republican senator from Utah suggested in social media posts that the killings were the work of “Marxists,” and mocked Minnesota’s Democratic governor. He later issued a more sober condemnation of the violence.

Minn., confronted Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on Capitol Hill Monday after he posted unfounded claims on social media that the alleged gunman who shot two legislators and their spouses is a liberal and may have been associated with Gov.