White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday highlighted Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s “racist” remark about Democrats wanting “reparation because they are pro-crime” to claim there is a distinction between how Republicans handle such comments and Democrats.
“Here’s the difference between Democrats and MAGA Republicans. When a Democrat says something racist or anti-Semitic, we hold Democrats accountable,” she told reporters Tuesday. “When a MAGA Republican says something racist or anti-Semitic, they’re embraced by cheering crowds and become celebrated and sought- after endorsements.
“Sen. Tuberville, lets not forget -- this just happened: saying Black people commit crimes,” Jean-Pierre continued, referring to the Alabama senator’s speech at a Nevada rally for U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt over the weekend that drew widespread condemnation.
Tuberville has not responded to repeated requests for comment by AL.com since delivering the remark that Democrats were in favor of “reparation” because they are “pro-crime.”
“They want crime. They want crime because they want to take over what you got. They want to control what you have,” Tuberville told the cheering crowd. “They want reparation because they think the people that do the crime are owed that. Bullshit. They are not owed that.”
Jean-Pierre also invoked GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano criticizing his Democratic opponent Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, for Shapiro sending his son to a Jewish day school.
“The president used to say, and I’ll quote the president right now: ‘Hate never goes away, it only hides. but lately, it’s just out in the open at these extreme MAGA rallies,’;” Jean-Pierre said.
The White House press secretary said Democrats handle similar controversies by holding members of their party accountable.
She said the president urged all members of the Los Angeles City Council who were involved in using anti-Black remarks in audio that leaked over the weekend to resign.
“The language that was used and tolerated during that conversation was unacceptable,” Jean-Pierre said.