California Rep. Maxine Waters, who has faced backlash over her calls for people to confront Trump administration officials in public, pushed back against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for criticizing people who “call for the harassment of political opponents.”
“You know, I was surprised at Chuck Schumer, you know reached into the other house to do that,” Waters said when MSNBC host Joy Reid asked her if she was surprised to see leaders in her own party criticizing her. “I’ve not quite seen that done before. But one of the things I recognize, being an elected official, is in the final analysis, you know, leadership will do anything that they think is necessary to protect their leadership.”
Schumer, a New York Democrat, during a Senate floor speech last week said he “strongly disagree(s) with those who advocate harassing folks if they don't agree with you. If you disagree with someone or something, stand up, make your voice heard, explain why you think they're wrong and why you're right. Make the argument. Protest peacefully.
"If you disagree with a politician, organize your fellow citizens to action and vote them out of office. But no one should call for the harassment of political opponents. That's not right. That's not American,” he added.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi also admonished Waters’ conduct.
Waters last weekend told supporters in California that they should seek out Trump administration officials in public and shout them down: "If you see anybody from that cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. You push back on them. Tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere!” she said.
President Donald Trump slammed her as a person with an “extraordinarily low IQ.”
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