Democratic Caucus Chairs Condemn Boebert’s Actions and McCarthy’s Continued Inaction
“Today, we are calling for Representative Boebert to be removed from her committee assignments…We stand with Representative Omar and millions of Muslims across the country who deserve better and are looking to their elected leadership to condemn islamophobia at the highest levels of government.”
WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty, Congressional Asian Pacific American Chair Judy Chu, Congressional Equality Caucus Chair David Cicilline, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Raul Ruiz, M.D. issued the following statement today regarding Representative Lauren Boebert’s repeated anti-Muslim attacks and Leader Kevin McCarthy’s continued refusal to address this dangerous behavior:
“Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy has absolutely failed in leading his caucus to condemn hatred and bigotry, much less to maintain any basic standards of decency within the halls of Congress. He is unwilling or unable to control his own members from inciting violence against other Members of Congress or encouraging bigotry and hatred. If he cannot lead his own caucus, he certainly will never be able to lead the House of Representatives.
“The most recent example of his failure of leadership has been in his refusal to discipline Representative Lauren Boebert for her repeated incendiary, anti-Muslim rhetoric directed at our colleague Representative Ilhan Omar. When presented with the opportunity to apologize, Representative Boebert instead doubled down, repeating the same bigoted stereotypes and language. As a result, violent death threats have been leveled against Representative Omar and there has been a chilling effect on other Muslim American staff members and people across this country.
“It should not be a partisan issue to condemn the explicit harassment and dangerous abuse of a colleague based on their religion, but this is the level to which the GOP leader and too many members of the Republican party have sunk. In refusing to hold his membership accountable, Representative McCarthy condones this hatred and the danger it incites.
“Today, we are calling for Representative Boebert to be removed from her committee assignments. There must be consequences for vicious workplace harassment and abuse that creates an environment so unsafe for colleagues and staff that it invites death threats against them. There must be consequences for elected representatives who traffic in anti-Muslim and racist tropes that make all Muslims across the country less safe. There must be consequences when Members of Congress demonize an entire religion and promote hate from their positions of public trust.
“We stand with Representative Omar, and millions of Muslims across the country who deserve better and are looking to their elected leadership to condemn islamophobia at the highest levels of government.”
Issues: Government Reform & Ethics