- Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries reprimands Republican efforts to disrespect Democratic Representative Maxine Waters.
- Jeffries argued that GOP leaders are hypocrites for condemning Waters’ comments and urging protesters to ‘become more confrontational’.
- ‘Clean up your mess, Kevin. Put this one out, ” Jeffries said, referring to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
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Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democrat on the fourth rank, warned Republican efforts to reprimand Democratic Representative Maxine Waters, arguing that the GOP should deal with their own “mess” before attacking the Democrats.
“Kevin McCarthy needs to concentrate on his own conference because the Republicans in the House are currently in a mess,” Jeffries told reporters. “Maybe he should put this one out.”
Jeffries has nominated specific Republican lawmakers who have been in controversy over the past few months.
“Lauren Boebert is a mess. Matt Gaetz is a mess. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a mess,” he said. “Clean up your mess, Kevin. Put this one out.”
Waters is being criticized for telling a group of supporters to “become more confrontational” when acquitted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murdering George Floyd. She made her remarks during a visit to Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot dead by a police officer last week.
“We need to stay on the streets, and we need to become more active. We need to become more confrontational,” she said. “We need to make sure they know what we mean by business.”
The judge in charge of the trial of Chauvin called Waters’ remarks “disgusting” and said they could justify an appeal once the case was decided. The jury’s ruling is expected to be announced Tuesday afternoon.
Republicans plan to hold a vote Tuesday afternoon to disregard Waters. The party has refused to prosecute their own members who are accused of commenting on violence, including before and during the January 6 riot of the Capitol.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defends Waters, saying the congresswoman’s remarks are ‘absolutely not’ meant to incite violence.
—The Recount (@therecount) 20 April 2021