Louisiana Republican ‘not concerned’ about House censure for racist post

11.10.2024 20:05

Daily Kos

By Natalie McLendon, Louisiana Illuminator

Congressman Clay Higgins says he isn’t worried about his colleagues in the House of Representatives casting an official vote to censure him for inflammatory remarks he made about Haitians on social media last month.

The Republican from Lafayette, who’s seeking a fifth term representing Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District in the Nov. 5 election, appeared at a town hall meeting Wednesday and spoke to the Illuminator about the controversy.

He also addressed the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol with event attendees at the Friends Supporting Friends Event Center, attributing the uprising to “weird little groups.”

Once the House reconvenes after the election, Higgins could face censure over a now-deleted post on X, formerly Twitter about Haitian immigrants. Democrats and a few Republicans have criticized the post written on Higgins’ official account, calling his statement racist.

“Lol. These Haitians are wild,” Higgins wrote. “Eating pets, vudu [sic], nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters … but damned if they don’t feel all sophisticated now, filing charges against our President and VP.

“All these thugs better get their mind right and their ass out of our country before January 20th,” the congressman concluded, noting the day the next U.S. president will be sworn into office.

Leading calls for the censure vote was Congressional Black Caucus chairman Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nevada. The House action doesn’t carry any actual punishment beyond potential public relations stigma.

“I’m not concerned about that,” Higgins told the Illuminator. “The media has attacked me for nine years now. It’s like a feeding frenzy. My life doesn’t revolve around that. Some of my colleagues have been out of line. I know the man I am and the people I serve. I’m not saying an unkind word about anybody. I don’t have malice in my heart about that.”