Brown-Waite Refuses To Apologize For Referring To Puerto Ricans And Guamanians As ‘Foreign Citizens’
Brown-Waite Refuses To Apologize For Referring To Puerto Ricans And Guamanians As ‘Foreign Citizens’
Last week, Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) issued a press release attacking the proposed economic stimulus bill in the House. She complained that it would send “hundreds of millions of dollars” to “foreign citizens,” including “residents of Puerto Rico and territories like Guam.” Residents of Guam were declared American citizens in 1900 while Puerto Ricans were granted citizenship in 1917.
Brown-Waite’s spokesman, Charlie Keller, “acknowledged the false characterization” late last week, saying that the congresswoman should have used the word “territorial” instead:
Brown-Waite spokesman Charlie Keller said Thursday the congresswoman knows that they are U.S. citizens, and acknowledged the false characterization.
“The wording foreign was really a way to designate” those who don’t pay federal income taxes, Keller said in an interview. “Territorial would have been a better word.”
Brown-Waite’s comments infuriated the Puerto Rican and Guamanian communities, resulting in the Puerto Rican House of Representatives and lawmakers from Guam publicly calling for a apology from the congresswoman. But she is refusing, calling the “case closed” because she “already issued a clarification.”
In her response to the criticism, however, Brown-Waite “fueled the controversy” by getting more facts wrong about Puerto Rico and the stimulus plan:
In her rebuttal, Brown-Waite fueled the controversy by incorrectly stating that it would be the Puerto Rican government — not its constituents — that would get the $1 billion stimulus package.
However, the stimulus package approved by Congress calls on the Puerto Rico Treasury Department to design a disbursement plan for the island residents, said Eduardo Bhatia, who runs the Washington office of Puerto Rico’s governor, Anibal Acevedo-Vila.
Angered that Florida Democrats have joined the calls for her to apologize, Brown-Waite is now attacking her critics, accusing them of “race baiting politics.”
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Too many really can’t say, I’m sorry, I was wrong, can they? It must be against their religion.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:27 amThe real news is People actually voted for this room temperature IQ bigot and elected her to office.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:28 amShe won’t apologize, after all, she is a Republican and Republicans never apologize. They always blame the victim instead.
PS. I heard she poos ice cream!
February 9th, 2008 at 11:30 amThis is just sad. I’m less concerned about Rep. Brown-Waite’s race baiting than her obvious lack of brainpower. I would hope her constituents are trying to determine if there’s any way to recall her.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:31 amPolitics, i.e. whether you are conservative or liberal aside, is it EVER possible for the Repugs to elect someone that isn’t an ignorant buffoon? Watching these people speak about pretty much anything is horrifically painful. I guess knuckle-dregging begets knuckle-dragging but damn. Again, forget whether or not you believe in Conservative or Liberal philosophy, how did these people get out of high school. They are such preening ignorants, wallowing and reveling in their stupidity that it is jaw dropping amazing. Is there a reverse IQ test that you have to pass in order to run on the Repug ticket? Unbelievable.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:36 amrep. ginny brown-waite; where do the republicans find them?
February 9th, 2008 at 11:41 amA la Newt Gingrich, Rep. Brown-Waite read a prepared statement to the citizens of Puerto Rico:
“Yo – ten – go – lah – een – tell – ee – hen – see – ya – day – oon – nah – pool – gah. Mee – ex – cree – men – toe – hoo – way – lay – day – roe – sahz.”
February 9th, 2008 at 11:52 am“rep. ginny brown-waite; where do the republicans find them?”
In the bayous – and the boardrooms.
Not too bright; but hungry, very hungry…
February 9th, 2008 at 11:52 amThe Republican men are found in the whore house.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:54 amA testament to this great country that someone of such limited intelligence can rise up to become a congresswoman of limited intelligence. Kinda like our president.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:54 amBushHater – good point. Interesting that stupid begets stupid. Our great nation proves that even stupid can get elected. She will be up for re-election this year. Hope there is a Democratic candidate on the ballot to challenge her in November. We need to get “stupid” out of Washington DC.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:57 amSuch an ignorant cow.
When did we learn about citizenship in places like Puerto Rico and Guam?
6th grade?
Sheesh…
February 9th, 2008 at 12:01 pmYou bring up a good point, Cats. Every seat that has a Republican running for re-election should have someone opposing them for that seat — Dem, Independent, whatever.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:02 pmSo she says her case is closed.
Too bad her mouth wasn’t.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:04 pmYou bring up a good point, Cats. Every seat that has a Republican running for re-election should have someone opposing them for that seat — Dem, Independent, whatever.
Comment by Zooey — February 9, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
We should also have people contesting the Lapdog Democrats, that have been suckling at the same Alter of Bush in the primaries. None of these idiots deserve to be returned to Washington, unless its for a public hanging at the The Mall.
Offtopic, But I read a very disturbing article at the Progressive this morning.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:10 pm“One business executive, who showed me his InfraGard card, told me they have permission to “shoot to kill†in the event of martial law.”
What an ignoranus!
February 9th, 2008 at 12:12 pmWait! There’s more!
From Wikipedia:
Brown-Waite has expressed support for the death penalty. She says she believed she saw “a message” in a nosebleed suffered by death row inmate Allen Lee Davis during his execution on July 8, 1999. Brown-Waite, who saw in the blood the shape of a cross, believes that it either indicated Davis had made peace with God, or it was a message from God giving his blessing to the execution.[1]
You want more? ok.
Brown-Waite won a narrow victory in November 2002 over Thurman despite the unfavorable publicity that came in October when police caught her husband, former New York state trooper Harvey Waite, stealing pro-Thurman lawn signs.[3]
And YES there is even more! More racism from a gun-toting wacko. Read on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginny_Brown-Waite
February 9th, 2008 at 12:17 pmyet another disgusting display of the stupidity of the electorate who installed this ignorant woman. and this is not just a republican problem. a couple of weeks ago a congresswoman who is a member of the finance committee didn’t know who the hell she was talking too when BEN BERNANKE the damned fed chairman was testifying. she thought he was henry paulsen, the treasury secy. you wanna bet she has no friggin clue what the difference is between the two entities.
the political leadership of this country reflects the level of knowledge and engagement of the people. this is what we deserve.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:19 pmThe sad thing is that the people in her western Florida district will probably re-elect her this year.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:22 pmYall gotta remember who our former govner twas, Jeb Bush. He done helped with the schools herein the Sunshine state. He done learned em well and ….
Ahhhhh, I deal with idiots like her everyday. Its the attitude that they know they are endowed by god and must always be right. The mere fact that you might disagree with them indicates that you must be against the troops, the war and (god bless him for keeping us safe) the president.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:24 pmI hope that is her ‘macaca’ moment.
A∞Ω
February 9th, 2008 at 12:32 pmInteresting how Republican Law Makers get big pay checks from the same people they say aren’t Americans. We hear racist remarks about our troops and minorities as if Republicans are the only Americans in America. News reporters are calling young ladies pimps and McCain wants to continue the Bush/Cheney policy. No wonder the Republican party is divided. Rev. Huck wants to replace the Constitution with his bible (scary). Andrea Mitchell’s uses her job to personally attack the Clintons as Senator Obama says he voted no on the War yet he wasn’t a Senator at the time. Now we know why this country is in a mess and how the White House was able to be so corrupt. Americans were busy watching American Idol to look at what the Law Makers were doing.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:32 pmThere is no such thing as a “Guamanian”. The people call themselves Chamorros, and from what I understand, consider the term “Guamanian” an insult.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:37 pmComment by Wayne — February 9, 2008 @ 12:10 pm
I did a story about this on TheZoo yesterday. :-)
February 9th, 2008 at 12:37 pm“rep. ginny brown-waite; where do the republicans find them?â€
In the bayous – and the boardrooms.
Comment by barfly — February 9, 2008 @ 11:52 am
Don’t forget the airport men’s rooms…
February 9th, 2008 at 12:46 pmStupid fu(king B*tch.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:49 pmI hope that is her ‘macaca’ moment.
A∞Ω
Comment by alphainfinityomega — February 9, 2008 @ 12:32 pm
~~~~~~~~~~~~
She just insulted millions of Puerto Ricans and Latinos. It might be a good idea if she wore a disguise when she goes out in public for the next few years.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:58 pmWow, she really is dumb as a pocketful of rocks. Now, let’s cement the g.o.p. status as a permanent minority party.
February 9th, 2008 at 1:06 pmComment by Bad Eye — February 8, 2008 @ 10:51 am
And whorehouses… don’t forget the whorehouses, both cheap and expensive, everywhere.
February 9th, 2008 at 1:25 pmIt continues to amaze – once you’ve found what you believe is the lowest IQ possible among the repugs –
Poof! Another pops up…never ending supply… stunning.
February 9th, 2008 at 1:26 pmHow does this dumbass view the indigenous Hawaiians?
February 9th, 2008 at 1:31 pmShe just insulted millions of Puerto Ricans and Latinos.
Comment by delafield — February 9, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
She insulted millions of US Citizens. Not just Latinos. They, no matter their ethnic backgrounds, are first Citizens under the Law of the Land.
As a Native American, I am insulted that such a bigot inhabits a Congressional seat ( I am well aware of more bigots in Congress). It was people such as her and her bigotry that had unarmed, helpless women and children shot in the back, some who ran as far as two miles to escape the massacre at Wounded Knee, only to be gunned down like animals.
People such as her have no business being in any governmental seat, or any seat of power, because they will abuse it. Period.
February 9th, 2008 at 1:32 pmAnd people who vote them in and keep voting them in, should feel as guilty for the crimes they perpetrate.
How does this dumbass view the indigenous Hawaiians?
Comment by dbadass — February 9, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
I’ll give you a hint: Hawaiians don’t have white skin.
February 9th, 2008 at 1:36 pmBrowne-Waite is only in Congress because the Republicans redrew the districts back in 2000 to create a zone made up largely of retirees and white trash.
During a February 15th floor debate on US participation in Iraq, Brown-Waite invoked Larry the Cable Guy and professed the following: “In the South, we have a wonderful saying and it goes like this: Get ‘er done. Our soldiers want to get it done and come home, and our President wants the same thing, and this Congress should demand the exact same thing. Let’s get out there and get ‘er done.”
That really says it all, doesn’t it?
February 9th, 2008 at 2:02 pm“In the South, we have a wonderful saying and it goes like this: Get ‘er done. “
I’ve lived in the south all my life and I have never heard that phrase. (I also never saw The Cable Guy.) Maybe Ginny only heard it in her native New York.
February 9th, 2008 at 2:26 pmWhere does the Republican party dredge up representatives who are this stupid?!?!?
February 9th, 2008 at 3:42 pmI should add that my comment also applies to Brown-Waite, not just JK.
February 9th, 2008 at 3:45 pmKinda funny why I haven’t seen anything on this site about Slippery Shuster’s comment about “pimping Chelsea†or Olbermann’s recent racist slurs about blacks and Spanish people! Or maybe I just missed it!! Yeah, sure!!
Comment by John Kerry — February 9, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
Kinda funny that you can’t read!
February 9th, 2008 at 4:17 pmGuamanian – I learned something today.
OK, viewers, how many of you actually knew what a resident of Guam is known as?
February 9th, 2008 at 5:08 pmOur idiot troll is aware of the David Shuster incident but must not have visited TPM or Crooks & Liars where the subject has been discussed by some of the the same people that post here. I guess its like going to different locations of the same store where, even though they have the same product, ’some items may not be available at all locations’ or ‘available only at select locations’.
I guess he is used to rightwing sites where everybody gets the same memo and are told what to cover and how.
Having said that I hope our troll goes away.
February 9th, 2008 at 5:51 pmWell obviously the troll don’t know jack sh*t. But everytime he posts here he proves that. I sure he knows Bush sh*t from reading rightwingnut sites however!
Cry me a river, cry me a river little minded troll. Who cares what you think, especially about what is posted here.
February 9th, 2008 at 6:47 pmIn order to file for election these Bozos should have to pass a citizenship test!
February 9th, 2008 at 7:42 pmAnd yet the “Hispanic” vote is going for Hillary. Vote for Obama and maybe you will get a voice.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:49 am“St A
We’re talking about THIS site ignoring Slippery and Bathtub Boy!!!
Gee, i wonder why no one’s mentioning Olby’s RACIAL slurs??????????????????????????
Comment by John Kerry — February 9, 2008 @ 7:59 pm”
Somehow I doubt this site is talking about what you are talking about. Considering you are a small penii little toad…go figure.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:51 amha!! – pack another repub off to a home for the bewildered!! – even i knew guam is owned by america – does she know where guam is?
February 10th, 2008 at 5:07 amAPOLOGIZE ????????
These SCHMUCKS, once they get to Washington D.C. , they think they are royalty. Why a BARONESS would never, ever apologize. Only the low life heathens, serfs, and peasants ever – APOLOGIZE.
Blue blooded royalty never make mistakes and never, ever apologize. What an insult to suggest such a thing. Off to the dungeons with you. You will beheaded before sunrise.
February 10th, 2008 at 7:52 pmGOP:Party of the stupid
February 10th, 2008 at 8:07 pmGeorge Bush: Hero of the stupid
She insulted millions of US Citizens. Not just Latinos. They, no matter their ethnic backgrounds, are first Citizens under the Law of the Land.
As a Native American, I am insulted that such a bigot inhabits a Congressional seat ( I am well aware of more bigots in Congress). It was people such as her and her asus ba-04 battery,asus l8000 battery bigotry that had unarmed, helpless women and children shot in the back, some who ran as far as two miles to escape the massacre at Wounded Knee, only to be gunned down like animals.
October 15th, 2008 at 3:37 am