Florida Congressman Byron Donalds (R) is not letting liberal Congresswoman Cori Bush’s racist broadsides against him go unchecked.
On Wednesday, House Republicans hardliners nominated Donalds as an alternative pick for House speaker, resulting in the first ballot to include two black nominees to be speaker. However, instead of praising the historic moment and celebrating the progress man Bush honed in on Donalds’ policy agenda for “perpetuating white supremacy.”
The Congresswoman told HuffPost, “It seems as if they’re using him as a prop, as a tool, not because they think that he’s great, that he’s done all of these things to lead them,” Bush said. “I don’t like that they’re using him that way. I don’t want them to use him that way. And I want him to understand: They’re only using you… don’t let them do that to you. Make them treat you with dignity and respect.”
She continued: “To hear Chip Roy stand up and say this is not about color … it absolutely 100% is because if you were nominating him on his worth and merit, I think none of us would have been surprised because we would have seen him do leadership things.”
“@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 in response to a Republican defector lauding Donalds.
Rep. Donalds swiftly fired back against the Congresswoman’s comments while calling out her insulting behavior.
“If you see a Black man rise, let the man rise even if you disagree with them. I’d be happy to sit down and debate our policies one on one whenever you’d like. As a black man to a black woman, I’d never do that to you. It’s a shame you did it to me,” Donalds tweeted alongside a clip of a Fox Business interview in which he addressed the rift.
Bishop nominated Donalds on the floor during the latest round of voting, defending his ability to lead the House of Representatives.
“I’ve spent a good bit of time with Mr. Donalds, especially lately. He ain’t no prop!” Bishop said, adding, “I know Byron — he’s not a prop. He’s a man of personal conviction.”
Congress remains in a stalemate heading into its seventh round of proceedings Thursday, with McCarthy having failed to secure a majority during previous rounds of voting earlier this week. At most, he has earned 203 votes, below the 218-vote threshold, and faces opposition of about 20 members.
In a bid to win over the detractor, the California Republican reportedly offered to lower the threshold for a vote to oust a speaker, allow more members of the Freedom Caucus on the House Rules Committee, and have the Republican-aligned political action committee, the Congressional Leadership Fund, will not get involved in open Republican primaries.
Editor’s note: This article was published before the seventh round of voting was complete. Rep. McCarthy failed to secure 218 votes needed.
