Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) falsely claimed that Democrats are “pro-crime” and support reparations for blacks whose ancestors were enslaved because they owe it to “crime talkers” , a comment that has generated accusations of racism and criticism. as dishonest
At a rally in Minden, Nev., on Saturday led by former President Donald Trump, the senator and former football coach dismissed the oft-repeated Republican claim that Democrats are “soft on crime” and made the baseless claim that the Democrats are “pro-crime”. Tuberville and Trump were campaigning for Republican candidates in Nevada ahead of November’s midterm elections.
“They’re pro-crime,” Tuberville said. “They want crime. They want crime because they want to take over what you have. They want to control what you have. They want reparations because they think the people who do the crime are owed that.” He added a profanity.
Although a handful of Democrats in Congress have expressed support for reparations for black Americans descended from enslaved people in the United States, the Democratic Party as a whole does not support the idea. House Democrats have backed a bill that would create a commission to study reparations, but there hasn’t been enough support in the Senate from Democrats or Republicans for the legislation. As a result, some prominent Democrats have encouraged President Biden to sign an executive order that would create the commission.
While Biden has not signed an executive order, he supported plans to study reparations while campaigning for president in 2020, a position he has maintained since assuming the presidency.
Tuberville and most Republicans contacted by The Washington Post were silent on the comments Monday.
But Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.), one of two black Republicans in the House, defended Tuberville by suggesting that Ariel Atkins, an activist with Black Lives Matter Chicago, shares the lawmaker’s view. While some Democratic leaders denounced criminal activity in response to the May 2020 death of George Floyd, a black resident of Minneapolis, Atkins argued that looting is a form of reparation.
“I don’t care if someone decides to loot a Gucci store, a Macy’s or a Nike store, because that makes sure that person eats,” he said in August 2020 during a rally in support of more than 100 people who were later arrested of looting in Chicago. “This makes sure that person has clothes.”
“This is reparations,” Atkins added. “Whatever they want to take, take because these companies have insurance.”
Donalds blamed Liberal lawmakers for this type of criminal activity and argued that Tuberville has a history of caring more about black people than members of the opposing party.
“Crime is top of mind on Americans because of soft-on-crime policies and progressive prosecutors in liberal cities,” he told The Post on Monday. “As a coach and mentor to countless black men, Tommy Tuberville has done more to advance black lives than most people, especially in the Democratic Party.”
But Bakari Sellers, a civil rights lawyer and activist, criticized Tuberville for building his wealth as Auburn University’s head football coach from 1999 to 2008 while young black men risked their health under his leadership.
“Tommy Tuberville can go to hell, and let me tell you why,” Sellers told CNN. “The fact is he made tens of millions of dollars off unpaid black men as a football coach.
“It’s literally the size it is because people went out there and took the risk and ran the risk of concussions and playing hard and everything,” he added.
Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), former president and executive director of the NAACP, said Sunday that Tuberville’s hateful comments could spur violence against black people.
“His comments are the most vicious, vile, disgusting, parochial, racist thing I’ve heard in a long, long time,” Mfume told MSNBC. “People take it, sick people, and think they have to do something to expand the senator’s philosophy.
“I hope all elected officials on both sides of the aisle condemn this,” the lawmaker added. “He’s a bigot. And until he says something different, he’ll always be seen as a bigot.”
The Nevada State Democratic Party called Tuberville’s comments racist and “nothing short of monstrous” and condemned the GOP for not speaking out.
“The refusal of Republicans, including those in our own state, to condemn this malignant bigotry is yet another example of how the GOP has been corrupted by extremism and hate,” spokesman Gordon Brown told The Post.
The party also rejected Tuberville’s suggestion that reparations is a harmful political idea, given the inequality between black and white Americans that began during slavery.
“Reparations are a long-awaited and long-awaited step to address the injustices and inequality black Americans experience after centuries of slavery and segregation,” Brown added. “The Nevada State Democratic Party proudly and unapologetically calls for reparations and supports all efforts to fulfill America’s promise of true equality and lasting justice.”
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson condemned Tuberville’s comments and highlighted the criminal activity of some Trump supporters. More than 900 people protesting the results of the 2020 presidential election have been charged with crimes in connection with the January 6, 2021 uprising at the United States Capitol.
“Senator Tuberville’s comments are blatantly racist, ignorant and absolutely disgusting,” Johnson said in a statement Monday. “His words promote a century-old lie about black people that throughout history has resulted in the most dangerous policies and violent attacks on our community. We’ve seen this before from the far right, and we’ve seen what they can do when they take power.
“The next time the senator wants to talk about crime, he should talk about Donald Trump’s hate-fueled rally on January 6, 2021. Maybe the real criminals are in his orbit,” he added.
Campaign committees for both parties had no immediate comment Monday.