Political analyst Matthew Dowd received backlash Friday by tweeting an image of a deadly pileup on a Texas highway to mock former President Donald Trump's impeachment defense team.
At least six people died and dozens more were injured in Thursday's 133-vehicle accident on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth. Road conditions due to frozen rain were cited as the cause of the pileup, according to local reports.
Dowd, however, admitted he chose not to read the story that accompanied the photograph he chose in to poke fun at Trump's attorneys as they made their case before the Senate.
"I saw this picture in the news today. I didn't read the story. Was this picture one of trumps [sic] impeachment defense team presentation?" Dowd asked.
Dowd, a self-identified "proud independent" who almost exclusively attacks conservatives, was slammed by critics on social media.
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"Six people died and many more were seriously injured in this horrible Fort Worth pile-up," Washington Examiner congressional correspondent Susan Ferrechio responded.
"Six people died in this wreck, but keep making your jokes @matthewjdowd," TheBlaze's Jessica O'Donnell similarly wrote.
Dowd initially doubled down on his tweet, replying to one of his critics, "How many people died at the us capitol?"
He later deleted the tweet.
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Last month, Dowd departed ABC News' where he had worked as an on-air commentator since 2007. He has since appeared on CNN and MSNBC.