No More 'Thoughts and Prayers': Comedian Says Congress Is 'Complicit in the Deaths of Thousands

"Daily Show" comedian Hasan Minhaj slammed Congress this week for failing to implement increased gun control, telling elected officials they are "complicit in the deaths of thousands."

The satirist went on to excoriate Congress during the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association Dinner Wednesday night for spending their time offering "thoughts and prayers" instead of creating new gun laws.

Hasan Minhaj (Image source: CSPAN)

"I’m sorry I didn’t do more, and the same goes for Congress," Minhaj said. "You know, we look to you guys as our leaders. You make almost two-hundred thousand a year to write rules and to make our society better — not tweet, not tell us about your ‘thoughts and prayers.'"

Minhaj then went after Congress for taking money from the National Rifle Association, noting the cash the gun-lobbying group has given those on Capitol Hill in order to quash gun-restricting legislation.

"So I don’t know if this is, like, a Kickstarter thing," the comedian remarked, "but if 3.7 million dollars can buy political influence to take lives, if we raise 4 million dollars, would you guys take that to save lives?"

During his speech, he called on Congress to implement “gun control, and universal background checks, and banning assault rifles,” making an appeal to the legacy of those in office.

"Is this what you want your legacy to be?" Minhaj asked. "That you were a ‘could-have-done-something Congress,’ but you didn’t because of outside lobbying? That you were complicit in the deaths of thousands of Americans?"

The Comedy Central personality closed his remarks with one final sarcastic jab at Congress' "thoughts and prayers."

"I know that being a member of Congress is hard," he quipped. "You’ve got to placate your base; you’ve got to look out for re-election; you’ve got to answer to lobbyists. But please persevere because our ‘thoughts and prayers’ are with you."

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