Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) condemned the โoverly racistโ tweet from Louisianaโs Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins against Haitians and Haitian Americans on the U.S. House floor, Nevada Current reports.ย ย
Higgins commented on an Associated Press story regarding a nonprofit representing Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, and took the time to boast racist remarks about the community, which has been the target of Ohio Senator and GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance during the presidential campaign. โThese Haitians are wild. Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangstersโฆ but damned if they donโt feel all sophisticated now, filing charges against our President and VP,โ Higgins wrote.ย
โAll these thugs better get their mind right and their a** out of our country before January 20th.โ
The now-deleted tweets caught the attention of Horsford and other Black government officials โ including Floridaโs Rep. Byron Donalds โ who reportedly approached Higgins on the House floor. Shortly after, surrounded by members of the Caucus and fellow Democrats, Horsford called for a vote to censure Higgins when the House returns from recess through the November 2024 elections. โRep. Higgins used his official account on X to publicly slander, insult, and demean all Haitians and Haitian Americans in an overtly racist post,โ Horsford said.
โWe have a member who is choosing to use an official platform, and therefore, it is my intention to bring to this body a motion of censure. I move to censor Rep. Clay Higgins for violating rule nine by bringing discredit and disgrace to the House of Representatives.โ
However, Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), who oversees the floor for Republicans, told Horsford that the motion couldnโt be carried immediately as the House had already finished voting for the month, according to CNN. Horsford allegedly warned Higgins about censoring. โIf you refuse, I will take this to the floor. We will move for a resolution to censure you,โ the representative allegedly said.ย
Rep. Troy Carter, the only Democrat and Black member of Louisianaโs congressional delegation, slammed Higginsโ post in a statement. โI am appalled by the racist and reprehensible remarks made by Rep. Clay Higgins about the people of Haiti,โ he wrote. โWe all owe each other better than this, but as elected officials, we should hold ourselves to an even higher standard,โ he wrote.ย
โWe have a solemn responsibility to represent and respect all races of people. Hate-filled rhetoric like this is not just offensive โ it is dangerous. It incites division, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and undermines the core values of our democracy.โ
Despite the backlash, Higgins stood by his comments and admitted he would do it again. โItโs all true,โ Higgins said. โI can put up another controversial post tomorrow if you want me to. I mean, we do have freedom of speech. Iโll say what I want. Itโs not a big deal to me. Itโs like something stuck to the bottom of my boot. Just scrape it off and move on with my life.โ
Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, defended Higginโs comments. Johnson said Higgins โprayed about itโ and regretted them.
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