Hasan Piker accused of dismissing past controversial comments in clash with Shannon Watts

On Friday, Shannon Watts, a Democratic political operative and gun control activist, publicly criticized progressive streamer Hasan Piker on X, accusing him of trying to brush off his past controversial comments online. Watts highlighted Piker's remarks about Israel, Adam Schiff, and America, which had resurfaced after the University of Washington canceled an upcoming event with him, citing his rhetoric on Israel. Piker responded by dismissing the criticism as a "bad faith clipping" and a "smear campaign," suggesting that critics were being paid for Israel. He also fired back at Watts, calling her a "shameless grifter" who doesn't care about the Democratic Senate majority or punishing Trump. The exchange escalated when Fred Guttenberg, a Democratic activist whose daughter was murdered in the Parkland shooting, defended Watts, calling Piker's attack "batsh-- crazy" and his comparison of the NRA and AIPAC "insanity." Piker, who is not running for office but acts as a surrogate for progressive candidates like El-Sayed, has a history of controversial remarks, including a past comment about not supporting the state of Israel or the United States, which he later walked back as "inappropriate." The clash began after the University of Washington canceled his event, and Piker also made a controversial comment about hoping Adam Schiff would be arrested, which he later called a joke. Watts has been vocal in recent months about Democrats ignoring the online histories of their candidates, and this incident highlights the ongoing tension within the Democratic Party over the influence of progressive figures like Piker.