On Thursday, Congressman Dan Bishop (R-NC) called out colleague Cori Bush (D-MO) for her “grotesquely racist” comments about Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL).
Bush’s racist comments came in response to Donalds receiving a nomination for Speaker of the House on Wednesday and earning 20 votes from Republicans.
“FWIW, @ByronDonalds is not a historic candidate for Speaker. He is a prop. Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy. His name being in the mix is not progress—it’s pathetic,” Bush tweeted.
FWIW, @ByronDonalds is not a historic candidate for Speaker. He is a prop. Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy.
His name being in the mix is not progress—it’s pathetic.
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) January 4, 2023
After receiving backlash, Bush doubled down on her comments.
“My issue is because he was not someone they have been promoting for the last 2 years,” she said. “I want him to understand: They’re only using you.”
“I’m glad [Republicans] took offense,” she added.
Bishop addressed Bush’s racist comments in a speech on the House floor on Thursday.
“Last night, I sat within feet of Mr. Donalds as the tweet of another member-elect appeared on the screen. That member-elect wrote, and sent out to America, that Byron Donalds is ‘a prop,’” Bishop began. “I’ve spent a good bit of time with Mr. Donalds, especially lately. He ain’t no prop.”
House Republicans stood and applauded, and Bishop continued after a brief pause, saying, “And if he were a prop, he wouldn’t be sitting where he’s sitting. This is the tired, old, grotesquely racist rhetoric that we’ve seen far too long!”
.@RepDanBishop calls out @CoriBush's racist tweet against @ByronDonalds:
"He ain't no prop…This is the tired, old, grotesquely racist rhetoric that we’ve seen far too long!" pic.twitter.com/T2CF3Q1vsI
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2023