Republican Lawmakers Blame 'Both Sides' for Anti-LGBTQ+ Violence
At a Wednesday House Oversight Committee hearing on anti-LGBTQ+ hate, Republican lawmakers demonstrated that instead of listening to the community's concerns, they would continue to use that community as pawns while arguing that "both sides" are responsible for bias-related violence.Rather than engaging with the powerful testimony from survivors of the Club Q and Pulse Nightclub mass shooting victims and LGBTQ+ rights advocates who were called to testify about the exponential rise in anti-LGBTQ hatred and violence, Republicans deflected from the topic of the hearing, instead trying to paint Democrats as the party of crime.
Failing to address the topic at hand, in his introduction, U.S. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky asserted that Democrats were playing political games blaming Republicans for attacks on LGBTQ+ communities when, according to him, Democrats are responsible for a rise in crime in "Democrat-controlled cities."The lawmaker from Kentucky went on to proclaim that his "thoughts and prayers" were with the Club Q victims and their loved ones."No one should have to experience what you all have experienced," Comer began. "Let me state clearly, as we have consistently said.
Republicans condemn violence in all forms. Unfortunately, Democrats are using committee time and resources today to blame Republicans for this horrendous crime.
This is not an oversight hearing. This is a blame Republicans, so we don't have to take responsibility for our own defund the police and soft on crime policies."Republicans have sought to paint Democrats as lawless and responsible for a rise in crime across the country.Georgia U.S.
