NEXT: LOYALTY OATHS
Texas lawmaker denounced over ‘racist’ remarks questioning Rep. Judy Chu's loyalty to US
Michelle De Pacina
Fri, February 24, 2023
House Democrats are demanding an apology from Rep. Lance Gooden (R, TX-5) over his “racist” remarks that questioned the loyalty of Rep. Judy Chu (D, CA-27) to the U.S.
In an appearance on Fox News' "Jesse Watters Primetime" on Wednesday, Gooden said that Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, "needs to be called out.”
I question her either loyalty or competence. If she doesn’t realize what’s going on, then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies. I’m really disappointed and shocked that someone like Judy Chu would have a security clearance and be entitled to confidential intelligence briefings until this is figured out.
Gooden, who is a third-term Texas Republican representative, believes Chu should be denied access to classified materials and be investigated for previously defending Dominic Ng, the CEO of East West Bank in California, from accusations that he is working with the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing.
More from NextShark: Suicide of pink-haired Chinese woman sparks campaign to combat cyberbullying
Ng was appointed by President Joe Biden last year to the chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council.
In a statement released on Thursday, Chu described Gooden’s remarks as “racist.”
Rep. Gooden’s comments on Fox News questioning my loyalty to the USA is absolutely outrageous. It is based on false information spread by an extreme, right-wing website. Furthermore, it is racist. I very much doubt that he would be spreading these lies were I not of Chinese American descent.
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Chu’s democratic allies have rushed to Chu’s defense and demanded an apology from Gooden.
On Friday, Rep. Suzan DelBene (D, WA-1), head of the Democrats’ campaign arm, noted the importance of holding political colleagues accountable for “racist” statements, particularly anti-Asian rhetoric.
At a time when anti-Asian hate continues to threaten communities, it’s critical that we condemn these racist and xenophobic attacks immediately and hold our fellow colleagues accountable to rid our politics of such dangerous statements and hatred.
More from NextShark: Delaware lawmaker who called Asian women ‘ch*nks’ resigns after PTSD diagnosis
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, NY-8) also called out Gooden and pointed out his own “disloyalty” for siding with the majority of House Republicans for voting to overturn the presidential election results in favor of former President Donald Trump in 2021.
Lance Gooden’s slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic. Congressman Gooden appears to sympathize with violent insurrectionists and spreads big lies to the American people, having voted not to certify the election of President Joe Biden. Look in the mirror, Lance. You have zero credibility.
Gooden then responded, “Rather than following facts that indicate the presence of Chinese espionage, Chu and Jeffries are playing the race card in a sick display of disloyalty to our nation.”
More from NextShark: Trump empathizes with Kim Jong Un while defending N. Korea's recent missile tests
The dispute comes as lawmakers in both parties take steps to limit the power of Beijing in global affairs. Beijing’s influence has become an urgent matter due to China’s ties to Russia and the concerns that Beijing might aid Moscow amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Rep. Judy Chu hits back at Texas Republican over 'racist' remarks questioning her loyalty to U.S.
Zoë Richards and Scott Wong
Thu, February 23, 2023
Rep. Judy Chu, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, blasted GOP Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas on Thursday over his comments this week questioning her loyalty to the U.S.
Chu, D-Calif., issued a statement in response to Gooden's remarks in a Fox News interview Wednesday night, when he suggested Chu should not have a security clearance or access to classified briefings. Chu had defended Dominic Ng, a Biden appointee featured in an article by the conservative Daily Caller that alleged Ng has ties to a Chinese Communist Party front group.
"Rep. Gooden’s comments on Fox News questioning my loyalty to the USA is absolutely outrageous," said Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress. "It is based on false information spread by an extreme, right-wing website. Furthermore, it is racist. I very much doubt that he would be spreading these lies were I not of Chinese American descent."
Gooden said in the interview, “I think that Judy Chu needs to be called out.”
“I question her either loyalty or competence. If she doesn’t realize what’s going on, then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies,” he said. "I’m really disappointed and shocked that someone like Judy Chu would have a security clearance and entitled to confidential intelligence briefings until this is figured out."
Daily Caller publisher Neil Patel defended the article in a statement, saying: “It was well researched, fairly reported and based largely on direct Chinese language source materials. Rep. Chu is lashing out wildly instead of engaging substantively since she can’t refute the facts presented.”
Gooden, a third-term lawmaker who is a member of the Judiciary Committee, was joined Feb. 15 by five other House Republicans in asking the FBI to investigate Ng, the CEO of East West Bank in California, whom Biden appointed last year to be the chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council.
Chu and other members of the Asian Pacific American Caucus — Democratic Reps. Grace Meng of New York, Ted Lieu of California and Mark Takano of California — fired back at their GOP colleagues two days later in a joint statement.
"As with every presidential appointee, Dominic Ng, who is Chinese American, has undergone an extensive vetting process and sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution and serve the American public," they said. "No Chinese Americans—indeed no Americans—should face suspicions of disloyalty or treason based on their ethnicity, nation of origin, or that of their family members."
Federal Election Commission records show that Ng has donated to various Democratic congressional candidates, including Lieu, as well to the Biden Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee in recent years.
Asked on Fox News whether Chu should be "looked into" in light of her defense of Ng, Gooden said, “I think everyone that's standing up for China’s Communist Party should be looked into, yes."
He added that he believed Chu had acted as a “ringleader” and dragged along “the other Chinese American members” of the caucus in supporting Ng.
Lieu and Meng are Taiwanese American, and Takano is Japanese American.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., castigated Gooden in a statement Thursday.
“Gooden’s slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic,” Jeffries said.
Gooden stood by his comments Thursday, saying, “Rather than following facts that indicate the presence of Chinese espionage, Chu and Jeffries are playing the race card in a sick display of disloyalty to our nation.”
A spokesperson for East West Bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Michelle De Pacina
Fri, February 24, 2023
House Democrats are demanding an apology from Rep. Lance Gooden (R, TX-5) over his “racist” remarks that questioned the loyalty of Rep. Judy Chu (D, CA-27) to the U.S.
In an appearance on Fox News' "Jesse Watters Primetime" on Wednesday, Gooden said that Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, "needs to be called out.”
I question her either loyalty or competence. If she doesn’t realize what’s going on, then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies. I’m really disappointed and shocked that someone like Judy Chu would have a security clearance and be entitled to confidential intelligence briefings until this is figured out.
Gooden, who is a third-term Texas Republican representative, believes Chu should be denied access to classified materials and be investigated for previously defending Dominic Ng, the CEO of East West Bank in California, from accusations that he is working with the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing.
More from NextShark: Suicide of pink-haired Chinese woman sparks campaign to combat cyberbullying
Ng was appointed by President Joe Biden last year to the chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council.
In a statement released on Thursday, Chu described Gooden’s remarks as “racist.”
Rep. Gooden’s comments on Fox News questioning my loyalty to the USA is absolutely outrageous. It is based on false information spread by an extreme, right-wing website. Furthermore, it is racist. I very much doubt that he would be spreading these lies were I not of Chinese American descent.
More from NextShark: San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin may be ousted after tonight's recall election by his own party
Chu’s democratic allies have rushed to Chu’s defense and demanded an apology from Gooden.
On Friday, Rep. Suzan DelBene (D, WA-1), head of the Democrats’ campaign arm, noted the importance of holding political colleagues accountable for “racist” statements, particularly anti-Asian rhetoric.
At a time when anti-Asian hate continues to threaten communities, it’s critical that we condemn these racist and xenophobic attacks immediately and hold our fellow colleagues accountable to rid our politics of such dangerous statements and hatred.
More from NextShark: Delaware lawmaker who called Asian women ‘ch*nks’ resigns after PTSD diagnosis
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, NY-8) also called out Gooden and pointed out his own “disloyalty” for siding with the majority of House Republicans for voting to overturn the presidential election results in favor of former President Donald Trump in 2021.
Lance Gooden’s slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic. Congressman Gooden appears to sympathize with violent insurrectionists and spreads big lies to the American people, having voted not to certify the election of President Joe Biden. Look in the mirror, Lance. You have zero credibility.
Gooden then responded, “Rather than following facts that indicate the presence of Chinese espionage, Chu and Jeffries are playing the race card in a sick display of disloyalty to our nation.”
More from NextShark: Trump empathizes with Kim Jong Un while defending N. Korea's recent missile tests
The dispute comes as lawmakers in both parties take steps to limit the power of Beijing in global affairs. Beijing’s influence has become an urgent matter due to China’s ties to Russia and the concerns that Beijing might aid Moscow amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Rep. Judy Chu hits back at Texas Republican over 'racist' remarks questioning her loyalty to U.S.
Zoë Richards and Scott Wong
Thu, February 23, 2023
Rep. Judy Chu, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, blasted GOP Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas on Thursday over his comments this week questioning her loyalty to the U.S.
Chu, D-Calif., issued a statement in response to Gooden's remarks in a Fox News interview Wednesday night, when he suggested Chu should not have a security clearance or access to classified briefings. Chu had defended Dominic Ng, a Biden appointee featured in an article by the conservative Daily Caller that alleged Ng has ties to a Chinese Communist Party front group.
"Rep. Gooden’s comments on Fox News questioning my loyalty to the USA is absolutely outrageous," said Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress. "It is based on false information spread by an extreme, right-wing website. Furthermore, it is racist. I very much doubt that he would be spreading these lies were I not of Chinese American descent."
Gooden said in the interview, “I think that Judy Chu needs to be called out.”
“I question her either loyalty or competence. If she doesn’t realize what’s going on, then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies,” he said. "I’m really disappointed and shocked that someone like Judy Chu would have a security clearance and entitled to confidential intelligence briefings until this is figured out."
Daily Caller publisher Neil Patel defended the article in a statement, saying: “It was well researched, fairly reported and based largely on direct Chinese language source materials. Rep. Chu is lashing out wildly instead of engaging substantively since she can’t refute the facts presented.”
Gooden, a third-term lawmaker who is a member of the Judiciary Committee, was joined Feb. 15 by five other House Republicans in asking the FBI to investigate Ng, the CEO of East West Bank in California, whom Biden appointed last year to be the chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council.
Chu and other members of the Asian Pacific American Caucus — Democratic Reps. Grace Meng of New York, Ted Lieu of California and Mark Takano of California — fired back at their GOP colleagues two days later in a joint statement.
"As with every presidential appointee, Dominic Ng, who is Chinese American, has undergone an extensive vetting process and sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution and serve the American public," they said. "No Chinese Americans—indeed no Americans—should face suspicions of disloyalty or treason based on their ethnicity, nation of origin, or that of their family members."
Federal Election Commission records show that Ng has donated to various Democratic congressional candidates, including Lieu, as well to the Biden Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee in recent years.
Asked on Fox News whether Chu should be "looked into" in light of her defense of Ng, Gooden said, “I think everyone that's standing up for China’s Communist Party should be looked into, yes."
He added that he believed Chu had acted as a “ringleader” and dragged along “the other Chinese American members” of the caucus in supporting Ng.
Lieu and Meng are Taiwanese American, and Takano is Japanese American.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., castigated Gooden in a statement Thursday.
“Gooden’s slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic,” Jeffries said.
Gooden stood by his comments Thursday, saying, “Rather than following facts that indicate the presence of Chinese espionage, Chu and Jeffries are playing the race card in a sick display of disloyalty to our nation.”
A spokesperson for East West Bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Democrats erupt with fury after Republican questions ‘loyalty’ of Rep. Chu
Mike Lillis
Fri, February 24, 2023
House Democrats are up in arms after a GOP lawmaker suggested Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), the nation’s first Chinese American congresswoman, is disloyal to the United States.
Rep. Lance Gooden, a third-term Texas Republican, suggested this week that Chu should be denied access to sensitive classified materials — and investigated — after she defended Dominic Ng, President Biden’s selection to lead U.S. trade interests in Asia, from accusations that Ng is working on behalf of communist leaders in Beijing.
“I question her either loyalty or competence,” Gooden told Fox News on Wednesday. “If she doesn’t realize what’s going on then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies.”
Chu issued a statement Thursday calling Gooden’s remarks “racist,” and her Democratic allies in the House are now rushing to Chu’s defense and demanding an apology from Gooden.
“At a time when anti-Asian hate continues to threaten communities, it’s critical that we condemn these racist and xenophobic attacks immediately and hold our fellow colleagues accountable to rid our politics of such dangerous statements and hatred,” Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), head of the Democrats’ campaign arm, said Friday in a statement.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also blasted Gooden, suggesting the Texas Republican was disloyal himself for siding with the majority of House Republicans who had voted in 2021 to overturn the presidential election results in favor of President Trump.
“Lance Gooden’s slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic,” Jeffries said Thursday in a statement. “Congressman Gooden appears to sympathize with violent insurrectionists and spreads big lies to the American people, having voted not to certify the election of President Joe Biden. Look in the mirror, Lance. You have zero credibility.”
Gooden quickly responded by doubling down and accusing both Jeffries and Chu of disloyalty.
“Rather than following facts that indicate the presence of Chinese espionage, Chu and Jeffries are playing the race card in a sick display of disloyalty to our nation,” Gooden said in an email.
The accusations are reminiscent of the Republicans’ charges against another Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), whose association with a suspected Chinese spy in 2014 led Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to block Swalwell from serving on the Intelligence Committee this Congress.
The controversy swirling around Ng, a wealthy banker and Democratic donor whom Biden appointed last year to represent the U.S. on the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), began earlier this month when the Daily Caller News Foundation reported allegations that Ng was tied to a pair of “front groups” gathering intelligence for the Chinese Communist Party.
The report sparked an outcry from Gooden and other Republicans, who are demanding an FBI investigation into Ng and questioning the vetting process that preceded Biden’s decision to appoint him to APEC. In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, the Republicans suggested Ng may have violated the Espionage Act.
The GOP letter prompted its own response from Democratic leaders of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, headed by Chu, who issued a statement last week defending Ng as a patriotic American being smeared by Republican “profiling.”
“No Chinese Americans — indeed no Americans — should face suspicions of disloyalty or treason based on their ethnicity, nation of origin, or that of their family members,” the Democrats said.
Aside from Chu, the statement was also endorsed by Reps. Grace Meng (N.Y.), Mark Takano (Calif.) and Ted Lieu (Calif.), the vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus.
That defense prompted Gooden to go after those Democrats during his Fox News appearance on Wednesday, when he characterized Chu as “the ringleader” who “drug along” the other three signatories.
“We’re standing up to communist China and these Democrats’ first reaction is to come to their defense and call us all racists,” Gooden said. “I’m really disappointed and shocked that someone like Judy Chu would have a security clearance and be entitled to confidential intelligence briefings until this is figured out.”
The tense back-and-forth comes as lawmakers in both parties are taking steps to limit the power and influence of Beijing around the world — an effort that’s grown more urgent given China’s ties to Russia and the mounting concerns that Beijing might expand its assistance to Moscow amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
–Updated at 11:54 a.m.
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