NY newspaper nailed with backlash over cartoon mocking MAGA victims of Texas floods: ‘Twisted, vile, and shameful’

The Buffalo News published a political cartoon appearing to mock right-wing victims in the lethal flooding disaster in Texas, and many on social media were outraged at the news outlet.

The cartoon showed a man with a MAGA hat being swept away in the flood holding a “HELP” sign, while behind him, a word bubble has the famous conservative phrase, “Gov’t is the problem not the solution.”

‘Why would you publish such an offensive and vile cartoon. Your artist needs to be fired.’

The cartoon by Adam Zyglis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, appeared to accuse conservatives of hypocrisy for asking for help from the federal government during a natural disaster while criticizing the government during brighter times.

Among those who criticized the cartoon was Michael Kracker, the chairman of the Erie County Republican Committee.

“[The Buffalo News] ran a cartoon mocking Texas families who lost loved ones in a tragedy, just because they might’ve voted Republican,” Kracker wrote. “Twisted, vile, and shameful. They owe those families an apology and should pull this filth immediately.”

Others were just as upset at the news outlet.

“Our nation has always had political parties, but historically we put partisan politics aside during times of major tragedy or crisis. Unfortunately, the Buffalo News did the opposite with this depraved partisan cartoon,” replied former New York state Rep. Chris Jacobs.

“Whoever approved this is mentally ill. Deranged,” read another popular tweet.

“Disgusting. And to think it wasn’t just the cartoonist who made this, but this was okayed by the editor and where no one there apparently tried to stop it from being published,” another detractor said.

“Why would you publish such an offensive and vile cartoon. Your artist needs to be fired. Lives were lost — children for heaven’s sake. Despicable,” another account said.

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  Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The death toll from the flooding in Texas has risen to over 100, and search and rescue efforts continue. Those who want to donate or volunteer to help victims of the flooding can find information here. 

Blaze News reached out to the cartoonist as well as the editor of the Buffalo News for comment, but neither responded by time of publishing.

Zyglis won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning in 2015. He is known for left-wing cartoons, including a recent one where he drew MAGA officers arresting a newly born baby.

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