After Democratic U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro tweeted the names and employers of donors to President Donald Trump and decried them for "fueling a campaign of hate," Castro got support for his controversial actions from fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
"Chairman Castro, they don't like it when you name their donors," the far-left Michigan congresswoman tweeted Tuesday. "The public needs to know who funds racism."
What's the background?
Castro — a Texas politician and identical twin brother of presidential hopeful Julian Castro — got plenty of heat for naming dozens of Trump donors from his own congressional district.
New York Magazine and HuffPost contributor Yashar Ali called Castro's actions "awful" and a "terrible and dangerous precedent to set" — but Castro retorted that the information in his tweet is "publicly reported."
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) also ripped Castro, saying that "targeting and harassing Americans because of their political beliefs is shameful and dangerous."
But Castro argued back that McCarthy is "trying to distract from the racism that has overtaken the GOP, and the fact that President Trump spends donor money on thousands of ads about Hispanics 'invading' America."
Castro added that "Donald Trump has put a target on the back of millions. And you're too cowardly or agreeable to say anything about it. How about I stop mentioning Trump's public campaign donors and he stops using their money for ads that fuel hate?"
Tlaib commented on Castro's first tweet to McCarthy:
Chairman Castro, They don't like it when you name their donors. The public needs to know who funds racism. https://t.co/7qfg1RT79y— Rashida Tlaib (@Rashida Tlaib) 1565138953.0
Turnabout is fair play
But a number of observers weren't about to let Tlaib get away with her words:
- "It would be like finding your donor list and announcing that these people support Hamas and anti-Semitism."
- "So intimidation is cool when you do it? How cute."
- "Then let's post your donors so we know who supports an anti-Semite."
- "So then you would be okay if the tables were turned, Rashida? BS. You'd be shrieking with outrage."
- "Are you putting the target on the backs of the black, Hispanic, Asian and Muslim Trump supporters or just the white ones?"
What else has Tlaib been up to?
- In a recent interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, Tlaib couldn't say Israel has the right to exist as a nation without defending Palestinians.
- Recently surfaced video showed Secret Service agents forcibly removing an angry and shouting Tlaib during a Trump campaign event in Detroit in 2016.
- She also reportedly has deep ties to anti-Semitism.
- In addition, Tlaib stood by a vulgar comment she made about Trump: "We're gonna impeach the motherf***er!"
Anything else?
Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," also tweeted support for Castro naming Trump donors:
Any business that donates to Trump is complicit and endorses the white supremacy he espoused in Charlottesville, wi… https://t.co/rJ29MCfgWJ— Joe Scarborough (@Joe Scarborough) 1565134205.0
Castro appeared on "Morning Joe" on Wednesday to defend himself, saying he wants Trump donors to "think twice" before giving money to the president's reelection campaign:
Rep. Joaquin Castro Wants Trump Donors To 'Think Twice' About Contributions | Morning Joe | MSNBCyoutu.be
(H/T: Twitchy)