Representative Cori Bush (D-MO) said Wednesday on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” that Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) criticisms of her were “racist and sexist tropes.”
Anchor Joy Reid said, “I want to start with the fact that the Independent Congressional Ethics Office cleared this matter. How did it then proceed to an investigation by the DOJ?”
Bush said, “So, what happened was, there is someone who made a complaint. They sent the complaint, I believe, to the FEC which that moves really slowly, is what I hear. And so, because, you know, nothing had happened, they didn’t see any movement, they decided, there are articles about it, they decided, ‘Hey, I want the DOJ, I want House ethics, I want all of these different entities to investigate now.’ So they did at one time, just asked all of these different entities to investigate.”
On the steps of the Capitol, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) said, “She doesn’t even support the police. But the idea to pay her thug money to try to help protect her for? What if she wouldn’t be so loud all the time maybe she wouldn’t be getting threats.”
A reporter asked, “Are you saying she deserves threats?”
Nehls replied, “No, what I’m saying is is that when you are out there talking the way she does, I’m surprised that people are probably pretty upset because she’s a pretty radical person. And maybe should donate down a little bit.”
Reid said, “And I will just let you respond.”
Bush said, “Absolutely ignorant, anti black, racist and sexist tropes by a sitting member of Congress who was a colleague I had never even met. For him to spew something so disgusting, to call my husband my thug? What qualifies him as a thug? What does he know about him to call him a thug? That is a dog whistle.”
She added, “Also to tell me that I am being too loud? I’m advocating for St. Louis. I’m being too loud? How about if you could fix the issues of St. Louis I wouldn’t have to talk about it. I wouldn’t have to fuss about it. But yes, I’m going to be loud. That’s okay if i want to be loud, if I want to be quiet, that’s my prerogative. He, you know, him putting his mouth on it just shows his racism at its best in Congress.”
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