‘A SPINELESS, WATERED DOWN SHAME’: REPUBLICANS BLAST ‘SHAM’ ANTI-HATE RESOLUTION

Written by: Virginia Kruta
Published by: The Daily Caller

A resolution condemning hatred in all forms passed the House Thursday, but 23 Republicans voted against it, calling it “watered down” and “a sham.”

H.R. 183 was originally intended as a reprimand for a series of anti-Semitic comments from freshman Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, but it never named her specifically and was broadened before the final vote to include hatred against a number of other groups.

The final list included (but was not limited to):

• Latinos
• Asian-Americans
• Pacific Islanders
• LGBT
• African-Americans
• Native Americans
• other people of color
• Jews
• Muslims
• Hindus
• Sikhs
• immigrants

The Republicans who voted against the resolution were quickly accused of expressing hatred against any or all of those groups listed for refusing to support the measure.

Freshman New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has staunchly defended Omar and her comments, attacked those who voted against the resolution, asking, “Where’s the outrage?”

But those Republicans were happy to answer for their votes anyway, and most of them did so without even being asked.

Most argued that the resolution failed to accomplish its original objective of reprimanding Omar because it didn’t name her specifically and watered down her offense by making it part of a broader list. 

Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie — who also voted no — took the argument to the next level, referencing the one group that Congress can’t seem to get the votes to protect: babies who are born alive after surviving abortion attempts. 

Other no votes included Reps. Mo Brooks, Doug LaMalfa, Steven Palazzo, Mike Rogers, Chip Roy, Mark Walker and Ted Yoho. Republican Iowa Rep. Steve King voted “present.”