This is something which would have been impossible to imagine just a few years ago. A member of Congress is publicly shaming people in his own community over their politics.
And putting their lives in danger, deliberately.
The Washington Free Beacon reports:
Joaquin Castro Posts Names, Employers of Trump Supporters
President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign has taken issue with a Facebook post from Texas congressman Joaquin Castro that lists the names and employers of Trump donors in San Antonio and accuses the private citizens of “contributing to harmful rhetoric that targets the Hispanic community and so many others.”
Castro, twin brother of 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro, posted late Monday night on Facebook that he was “sad to see so many San Antonians on this list of maximum donors to Donald Trump.” He specifically called out two companies, including a popular BBQ restaurant, and posted a list of 44 donors, with their full names and employers.
Trump campaign official Tim Murtaugh highlighted the post on Tuesday, calling it a “target list.”
“This is Joaquin Castro, Congressman & chair of his brother’s campaign,” Murtaugh wrote. “Naming private citizens & their employers, targeting them for political views and exercising 1st Amendment rights.”
“At the very least [Castro] is inviting harassment of these private citizens,” he said. “At worst, he’s encouraging violence.”
To make matters worse, he thinks this was justified!
Yashar, I respect your work and writing. I’m certain that NY Magazine and Huff Post have printed similar graphics with name and employer many times before because it’s not private and it’s publicly reported. There’s no private addresses, phone numbers, etc. No “call to action.” https://t.co/TxjoTITDbI
— Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) August 6, 2019
Many people have pointed out how dangerous this is:
A Congressional candidate posting names & occupations of donors to a rival political party has no real purpose apart from inviting harassment of those private citizens.
In a world where with a name & occupation, it's easy to find people's contact information. This is dangerous pic.twitter.com/bJC7htZVVz
— Logan Dobson (@LoganDobson) August 6, 2019
In another twist to this horrific story, Castro may have manipulated the list racially:
I dug into Joaquin Castro's name-and-shame of his own constituents. Turns out he was omitting Hispanic donors.
Including pre-February 2019 maximum contributions ($2,700 vs $2,800) there were multiple Hispanic residents of San Antonio who gave maximum contributions to Trump.
— Alex Joshua (@_alex_joshua) August 6, 2019
He deserves to be ejected from Congress immediately.
Do not pass go, do not collect $200 dollars.
(Image:Source)
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