Republican lawmakers have been publicly and privately pushing the limits of acceptable discourse with race-baiting language in the age of Donald Trump, according to a report.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) insultingly highlighted the Somali birthplace of her Democratic colleague Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on the House floor the same week as Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) slurred the Black husband of Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) as a "thug," and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) repeatedly mixed up the nationality of TikTok chief executive Shou Chew.
And things are worse behind closed doors, reported the New York Times.
“The nature of Trumpism is to embolden extremism,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY). “Whether it’s badgering an Asian witness about his ethnic loyalties, or dehumanizing a cabinet secretary, or accusing a Muslim woman of treason, or describing a Black man as a thug, Republican members of Congress are crossing lines that should never be crossed.”
During a closed-door meeting of House Republicans, Homeland Security Committee chairman referred to DHS secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as a “reptile with no balls” because he refused to resign amid an impeachment investigation, and Democrats have condemned the statement as antisemitic.
“Chair Green’s comments are plain bigotry,” said Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL). “This whole impeachment process has been a bigoted, prejudiced spectacle.”
Trump entered national politics with racist 'birther" lies about Barack Obama and has kept up racist rhetoric that bellows much louder than traditional GOP dog whistles, the Times reported. They include his recent attack on Republican rival Nikki Haley, whose birth name Nimarata he intentionally misspells as "Nimrada," but his spokesman defended the coarsening of political discourse
“President Trump is a truth-teller," said spokesman Steve Cheung, "and the more people who follow his lead and speak their mind, the better.”