Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Delaware), the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, on Sunday criticized House Republicans’ efforts to ban women from using the Capitol’s restrooms. He called it a “mean-spirited” and “unwarranted attempt.” “Misdirection” from other policy priorities.
“It’s important to us that any attempt to attack a vulnerable community is not only mean-spirited, it’s actually an attempt to misdirect us,” McBride said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” I think everyone is united,” he said. “Every time we hear the incoming administration and Republicans in Congress talk about vulnerable people in this country, we must make it clear that it is an attempt to divert attention.”
She added, “This is an attempt to distract from what they’re actually doing. Every time I hear them say the word ‘trans,’ I wonder what they’re doing with their right hand.” Please take a look. Look at how they are lining the pockets of American workers by privatizing Social Security and Medicare and extorting money from seniors,” McBride added.
In a separate interview Sunday, she also characterized the ongoing Republican effort to limit where people can use restrooms in the Capitol as “noisy.”
“There’s definitely been a lot of noise around me for the past two years, the last two weeks, but I’ve stayed focused,” McBride said on MSNBC’s “The Weekend.”
She will be sworn in as a first-term congresswoman in January, but added that she wasn’t running to make a splash.
“I didn’t run to be number one. I didn’t run to make history. I ran to serve the state I love and serve the people of Delaware,” McBride said. said.
Her comments come as Republicans have stepped up their attacks on her in the past two weeks, with Rep. Nancy Mace (R.S.C.) criticizing House members and staff’s “use of same-sex-only facilities other than their corresponding facilities.” It comes amid support for a resolution to ban it. their biological sex. ”
Immediately after introducing the resolution, Mace clarified that the measure “absolutely” targets McBride.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R.S.C.) sponsored a resolution that would limit residential bathrooms to those according to biological sex. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, from Getty Images File
On Wednesday, Mace was joined by Chairman Mike Johnson of the Louisiana Republican Party, who said in a statement that “all gender-separated facilities, including restrooms, changing rooms, and changing rooms in the Capitol and House Office Buildings, are for men and women only.” said. It’s biological sex. ”
“Each member’s office has its own restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol,” he added.
On Sunday, Mace doubled down on his anti-trans comments, speaking to Fox News. They feel supported. ”
Following Mace and Johnson’s comments, Democrats in both chambers of Congress supported McBride and condemned Republicans for targeting him.
On Sunday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., blasted Mace as “disgusting and wrong,” telling CNN: First of all, I think her position is disgusting and wrong, but I also think there are more things to worry about than where someone goes to pee. ”
At a White House press briefing on Thursday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that President Joe Biden was “very proud” of McBride, adding, “What (McBride) said was, ‘ I’m not here to fight over toilets.” I’m here to fight for Delawareans and reduce the costs families face. ” And we agree with her. ”
And on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused House Republicans of “bullying” McBride.
“This new House Republican conference majority is beginning to move into a new Congress by bullying members,” Jeffries told reporters.
Furthermore, he added: Is this the lesson from the November election? Your priority is that you want to bully members of Congress instead of welcoming them into this organization so we can all work together to get things done and get real results for the American people. That’s it. ”
