'REPULSIVE'
Disgusting,’ ‘Ghoulish’ and ‘Gross’: GOP Congresswoman Blasted for ‘Deplorable’ Remarks on Death of AFL-CIO Chief
Richard Trumka, the head of the largest labor union in the country for over a decade and an organized labor leader since the 1980s died Thursday at the age of 72. Trumka started his career as a Pennsylvania coal miner, just like his father, and later went to college and earned a bachelors degree and a law degree.
U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), whose constituents include union members and probably some coal miners, issued a statement observing Trumka’s passing that was so offensive it’s being called “gross” and “disgusting.”
Congresswoman Foxx, who was part of the GOP’s House leadership team until 2017, is likely best known for her remarks disparaging Matthew Shepard, the 21-year old college student whose anti-LGBTQ hate crime murder was so horrific the 2009 federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act bears his name.
In her remarks Thursday, just hours after Trumka’s death, Foxx attacked him for what she called “forced unionization, jobs-killing mandated wages, and other socialist policies.”
Here’s how some are responding:
There’s moral bankruptcy and then, well, there’s this. Richard Trumka stood for the working class. All that this statement stands for is crassness and cruelty.@virginiafoxx: no condolence note should ever include “that said.” Have some decency. https://t.co/CYVbdaCd0u
— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) August 5, 2021
thank you for admitting you love when people die
— Matt Negrin, HOST OF HARDBALL AT 7PM ON MSNBC (@MattNegrin) August 5, 2021
What a gross statement on the occasion of a man’s death. https://t.co/C4TVQuKyCZ
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) August 5, 2021
This is remarkably gross and classless https://t.co/dWY6Q8wyCr
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) August 5, 2021
The whole party is broken beyond repair. My god. https://t.co/3LiwPWIcWC
— Tim Fullerton (@TimFullerton) August 5, 2021
I like how she bolded the parts overtly insulting him to make clear the she didn’t mean any of the kinda positive things she said in the statement acknowledging his death.
— Jean ValJohnFranco (@JVJFranco) August 5, 2021
Disgusting statement from a House Republican. https://t.co/X0GsbihaLq
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 5, 2021
Truly one of the most ‘REPULSIVE’ people currently holding elective office. https://t.co/LEMxsS3eBI
— Michael Christie 🦑🧲🐸🦛 (@mschristie587) August 5, 2021
ghoulish https://t.co/t5itzfctga
— pete🦑🔪🔆 (@EnjoyerPastry) August 5, 2021
This is repugnant.
— UncleKvetch (@lxanth) August 5, 2021
No class. No decency. On brand for your party, congrats.
— Christine Galea (@chrisgalea) August 5, 2021
More proof that they are all deplorable.
— RKB (@RKB_50) August 5, 2021
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