Congressman Adam Kinzinger said “characterizing an action as racist is not in order” with the House of Representatives rules and voted no on a resolution Tuesday condemning President Donald Trump’s recent Twitter comments.
Kinzinger’s vote comes a day after he said in a statement Trump’s tweets were wrong and divisive, adding “we as a nation have to demand better from our elected officials, on both sides of the aisle.”
The Democratic-led House voted 240-187 in favor of condemning Trump’s comments — four of them Republicans. The resolution carries no legal repercussions.
Kinzinger, R-Channahon, said his Democratic colleagues “continued to sow this chaos for political points.”
“H.Res.489 is a retaliation and retribution tool being used to attack the President, and it violates a pillar of our institution by ignoring the rules of decorum and disregarding our founding principles,” Kinzinger said in the statement. “As such, I voted against the resolution.”
The resolution stated it “strongly condemns President Donald Trump’s racist comments that have legitimized and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of color by saying that our fellow Americans who are immigrants, and those who may look to the President like immigrants, should ‘go back’ to other countries, by referring to immigrants and asylum seekers as ‘invaders,’ and by saying that Members of Congress who are immigrants (or those of our colleagues who are wrongly assumed to be immigrants) do not belong in Congress or in the United States of America.”
The resolution also stated Congress “is committed to keeping America open to those lawfully seeking refuge and asylum from violence and oppression” and “believes that immigrants and their descendants have made America stronger.”
The House action was in response to three successive tweets Sunday from the president, among other comments made the past two days.
The president tweeted: “So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly……
“….and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how….”
“….it is done. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!”
Trump was referring to four new lawmakers — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ilhan Omar-D-Minn., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. — who are outspoken against his administration policies and have made headlines in their ongoing divisions with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Each of them are women of color, three of them were born in the United States and Omar is a refugee from Somalia.
Kinzinger said Congress has a responsibility to hold itself to a higher standard, just as the president should be held to a higher standard. The congressman, whose district includes Ottawa and Streator, has been critical of previous Twitter posts by Trump.
“The President of the United States also takes an oath, and for the highest office in the land, we expect and deserve better than what we’ve seen far too often from our current president,” Kinzinger said.
Kinzinger continued the comments against members of Congress have no place in politicial discourse, noting the president’s tweet “was wrong and dangerously divisive.”
Kinzinger, however, believed the House Resolution only fanned the flames.
“To retaliate by damaging our institution, which has the power of the purse and a prominent role in the system of checks and balances, is juvenile and short-sighted,” he said. “It sets a terrible precedent for the future and erodes at the civility in this country … Simply put, we can and must do better.”
Trump responded Tuesday on Twitter to the resolution by complimenting the unification of Republicans voting no.
“If you really want to see statements, look at the horrible things they said about our Country, Israel, and much more,” Trump tweeted about the four Democratic congresswomen. “They are now the top, most visible members of the House Democrats, who are now wedded to this bitterness and hate.”
Trump also tweeted earlier that he didn’t have “a racist bone in his body,” to which Ocasio-Cortez responded “You’re right, Mr. President – you don’t have a racist bone in your body. You have a racist mind in your head and a racist heart in your chest.”
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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