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A Nebraska Democratic official has been removed Thursday from his chairman post after recordingsemerged in which he said he was glad that House Majority Whip Steve Scalise(R-La.) was shot and that he wished he had died.

In the recording, Phil Montag, who was the volunteerco-chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Partys technology committee, criticized Scaliseby saying his whole job is to convince Republicans to (expletive) kick people off (expletive) health care.

Im glad he got shot. I wish he was (expletive)dead.

The recordingwas posted on YouTube and other sites.

[Johnny Depp apologizes for joking about assassinating Donald Trump: I was only trying to amuse]

The comments surfaced just more than a week afterJames T. Hodgkinson opened fireon a congressional baseball team in Virginiawhere Scalise and four others were wounded. The gunman was shot and killed by police.

Montag could not be immediately reached for comment, but hetold the Omaha World-Herald that his statementsweretaken out of context from a30-minute to hour-long conversation.

I do not and did not wish for his death, Montag said to the World-Herald via email.

I am hopeful that the entirety of the original, unedited recording will emerge so we can get to the truth of the matter.

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) spoke about visiting Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) at the hospital, confirming he is "doing well." (Reuters)

Scaliseis still in the hospital and nowin fair condition, according to a post on his official Twitter account.

Scalisesoffice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb told The Washington Postthat she learned about the recording Thursday from the World-Herald, and that she immediately emailedMontag to tell him he was being removed from his position.

Ive been in politics and community organizations for the past 20 years, Kleeb said. Ive seen political rhetoric get heated, especially during the George W. Bush times, but we have reached a completely different level in our country now, and it is terrifying, and it is scary, and it just has to end.

The committee advised the party on new technologiessuch as new text-to vote tools, Kleeb said.

In the recording, Montag was speaking withNebraska Democratic Party Black Caucus chair Chelsey Gentry-Tipton, whohas been embroiled in her own controversial comments about Scalise.

She had written in a Facebook post about the shooting that Watching the congressman crying on live tv abt the trauma they experienced. Y is this so funny tho?

The Nebraska Republican Party calledMontag and Gentry-Tiptons comments completely reprehensible and disappointing, according to the Associated Press. It also posted a message to Facebook saying, this is not a partisan matter and this type of toxic rhetoric must be condemned at every level.

ICYMI: The Nebraska Republican Party Calls on Brad Ashford to join other Democratic Party Leaders and Denounce Toxic Rhetoric #NE02

Posted by Nebraska Republican Party onFriday, June 23, 2017

The controversy in Nebraska comesas politicians from both sides of the aisle have called for a more civil tone in the political conversation, and artistic productions and celebrity comments have faced criticism for what somesay is the promotion ofviolence.

Recently, conservatives have criticized a production of Shakespeares Julius Caesar in New Yorks Central Park, wheretitle character, who resembles President Trump, is assassinated. On Friday, actorJohnny Depp apologized for making remarks about assassinating the president.

I apologize for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump. It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone, he said in a statement to People.

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'I'm glad he got shot': Nebraska Democrat caught on tape criticizing Rep. Steve Scalise - Washington Post