A Republican representative whose Twitter posting about liberals "cowering" in their Boston homes during a search for a bombing suspect has apologized in an online statement.
At 8:25 a.m., state Rep. Nate Bell tweeted: "I wonder how many Boston liberals spent the night cowering in their homes wishing they had an AR-15 with a hi-capacity magazine?"
The posting was made while authorities hundreds of miles away scoured for the second suspect in Monday's Boston Marathon bombing. It quickly drew criticism from around the country.
Shortly after noon, Bell apologized on his Facebook page citing "poor timing."
"I would like to apologize to the people of Boston & Massachusetts for the poor timing of my tweet earlier this morning," Bell wrote. "As a staunch and unwavering supporter of the individual right to self defense, I expressed my point of view without thinking of its effect on those still in time of crisis. In hindsight, given the ongoing tragedy that is still unfolding, I regret the poor choice of timing."
Earlier, the speaker of the Arkansas House called the posting "inappropriate."
"On behalf of the Arkansas House of Representatives and the state of Arkansas, I want to extend my deepest apologies to the people of the City of Boston and the state of Massachusetts for the inappropriate and insensitive comment made this morning by an Arkansas House member," House Speaker Davy Carter, R-Cabot, said in a statement. "I can assure the people of Boston and the people of Massachusetts that Arkansans have them in their thoughts and prayers during this tragic time."
Gov. Mike Beebe said he agreed with Carter's statement.
"He said it about as well as you could say it," said Beebe, a Democrat.
Bell's message had been retweeted more than 900 times by noon and several publications — including Esquire and PoliticalWire — also drew attention to it in posts. Dozens of replies were visible on Twitter, with many of them highly critical of Bell's words.
Esquire, in a blog posting by Charles P. Pierce titled "Bite Me," also posted a link to Bell's statehouse contact information.
"Be polite. Be nice. Tell him that God loves him as he loves all mouthy hicks," Pierce wrote.
Efforts to reach Bell were not immediately successful.