Cops: Brothers Inspired by Trump Beat Homeless Man

A savage beating in Boston is making headlines because of its connection to Donald Trump. In fact, a headline at the Atlantic calls it a "Trump-Inspired Hate Crime." Police say two brothers set upon a homeless Hispanic man sleeping outside a subway station, leaving him with a broken nose, battered arms, and a bruised chest. Cops say Scott Leader, 38, and Steve Leader, 30, also urinated on the 58-year-old's face before walking away laughing, reports the Boston Globe. “Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported,” Scott Leader is quoted as telling the police.

Trump's reaction isn't helping. When informed of the attack, he said he hadn't heard about it but added that it "would be a shame" if his immigration comments inspired it, reports the Boston Herald. But then he added: "I will say, the people that are following me are very passionate. They love this country. They want this country to be great again. But they are very passionate. I will say that." A blogger at Vox is astonished. Instead of "unequivocally" denouncing the attack, Trump "framed it as a moderately regrettable downside of his movement's 'passion.'" The victim is recuperating in the hospital and the brothers were jailed on assault charges. (More Boston stories.)