WASHINGTON — (AP) — Home Democrats tried Wednesday to shortly censure a Republican congressman who slandered Haitian immigrants in a publish he made on social media, however GOP management stamped out the trouble.
Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana described Haitians in racist phrases Wednesday afternoon, calling them “wild. Consuming pets, vudu, nastiest nation within the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters” in a publish on X, the platform previously referred to as Twitter. Higgins, a far-right lawmaker who has voiced conspiracy theories, deleted the publish after Democrats confronted him on the Home flooring.
The Haitian group in Springfield, Ohio, and past has confronted an onslaught of racist abuse after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his operating mate Sen. JD Vance falsely claimed that Haitians have been consuming pets.
Higgins was responding to a report {that a} nonprofit representing the Haitian group has invoked a private-citizen proper to file fees in opposition to Trump and Vance. The Haitian Bridge Alliance introduced the costs over the chaos and threats skilled by Springfield, Ohio, since Trump first unfold the false claims about authorized immigrants there throughout a presidential debate.
Trump has additionally vowed to deport immigrants like these in Springfield who entered the nation legally beneath a federal program that permits them to stay within the nation briefly.
Higgins on Wednesday posted that Haitians ought to get “out of our nation earlier than January twentieth,” when Trump can be inaugurated as president if he wins the election.
As Home lawmakers exited the Home chamber after ending their legislative work forward of the November election, Rep. Steve Horsford, a Nevada Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, tried to maneuver a censure decision in opposition to Higgins.
Horsford mentioned Higgins’ phrases “are inciting hate, they’re inciting concern and due to that it’s time for this physique to face with one voice and to make sure there’s accountability.”
Republicans instantly moved to dam his effort from shifting ahead.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson informed reporters exterior the chamber: “Clay Higgins is a pricey pal of mine and a colleague from Louisiana and a really frank and outspoken particular person. He’s additionally a really principled man.”
He praised Higgins for deleting the publish, saying “he prayed about it, and he regretted it and he pulled the publish down. That’s what you desire a gentleman to do. I’m certain he in all probability regrets among the language he used, however, you recognize, we transfer ahead. We imagine in redemption round right here.”
Higgins has periodically stirred controversy with social media posts since his 2016 election to Congress — together with a Fb publish in 2020 promising he would “drop” armed protesters “the place they stand.
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