House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy suggested he was content with the removal of Confederate statues in the Capitol since they are “statues of Democrats.”
The House on Tuesday passed legislation that calls for the removal of several Confederate statues, and also the bust of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney.
Taney delivered the majority opinion in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), which ruled that African Americans could not be considered citizens and that Congress could not prohibit slavery.
Taney was a Democrat.
The bill was passed with bipartisan support, 285 to 120, with several members of the House delivering speeches on how ‘white supremacists’ should not be glorified in the halls of Congress.
UPDATE: U.S. House votes 285-120 to remove Confederate statues from public display in the Capitol as well as the bust of Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, who wrote the 1857 Dred Scott decision; 67 Republicans joined Democrats to advance the bill. https://t.co/7hZrKG3OUK
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 30, 2021
RELATED: Nancy Pelosi Calls For A ‘Review’ Of Washington And Jefferson Statues
McCarthy Jabs Democrats Over Confederate Statues
McCarthy, in a speech on the floor of the House, jabbed his Democrat colleagues suggesting he was fine with the removal of the confederate statues since they were members of their party.
“The bill we’re voting on today we’ve voted on before. I supported it [then] and I support it now,” McCarthy declared. “But let me state a simple fact: All of the statues being removed by this bill are statues of Democrats.”
He proceeded to suggest that his colleagues on the left change their party name.
“What’s interesting is the statues that need to be removed were sent to the Capitol by states [with Democrat-run legislatures] sent to a House that had a [Democrat majority who was] accepting of these statues,” claimed the California Republican.
“I think the bill should go further,” added McCarthy. “Maybe it’s time the Democrats changed the name of their party.”
GOP Leader McCarthy during debate on a bill to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol:
“All of the statues being removed by this bill are statues of Democrats… Maybe it’s time the Democrats change the name of their party.” pic.twitter.com/0RA6ubLuYT
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 29, 2021
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Not Everyone On Board
Not everyone was on board with the removal of the Confederate statues as evidenced by the 120 ‘no’ votes.
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) condemned the legislation as an infringement on states’ rights and blasted “cancel culture” and “intolerance” from Democrat lawmakers.
“We have a lot of people serving in the Capitol right now, who in my judgment, are highly racist against Caucasians,” Brooks argued to Fox News referencing lawmakers who push critical race theory.
“But that does not warrant their expulsion.”
GOP Rep. Mo Brooks’s office on his vote against removing Confederate statues: “Mo Brooks Defends States’ Rights, Rips Intolerant Socialists Who Seek to Take Down Capitol Statues They Don’t Like” pic.twitter.com/jtTiCem4mz
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) June 30, 2021
Former President Trump often criticized efforts to remove Confederate statues saying it could lead to the removal of anyone with even a hint of controversy in their past.
Last summer, Trump “authorized” law enforcement officials to arrest anyone attempting to destroy historic statues on federal property, noting the crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
He suggested the outrage mob would eventually come for George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
President Trump: “George Washington was a slave owner… Are we gonna take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson?” pic.twitter.com/bUJnbaniwL
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 15, 2017
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has, in the past, suggested a review of all historical statues is due, including those of Washington and Jefferson.
“I’m all for it. Let’s review this,” Pelosi said during a discussion with the Washington Post Live.
“Why are we glorifying the sins of the past? That doesn’t mean because Thomas Jefferson or George Washington or others were slaveowners that we should undermine what they did for our country,” she did note.
“That’s a different story,” said Pelosi. “But you know what, subject everything to scrutiny and make a decision.”
Nancy Pelosi to those tearing down the Founding Fathers’ statues: “all for” review, “subject everything to scrutiny”https://t.co/xaZCOZF42H pic.twitter.com/VO3rJRlJRB
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 25, 2020
Last week, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City announced that it was removing an iconic statue of President Theodore Roosevelt.
Roosevelt is a man of such historic importance that he is memorialized on Mount Rushmore with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln – widely considered some of America’s most important presidents.
Roosevelt famously invited Booker T. Washington to dine with him in the White House.
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