Press Releases

Today, U.S. Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) led several of his Texas Republican colleagues in announcing a House Resolution condemning the entire Democratic Party of Texas for refusing to denounce racism. The measure comes after the Lamar County Democratic Party rejected the resignation of County Chair Gary O’Connor, who submitted his resignation after he posted a defamatory and racist remark against Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) on Facebook.

“The Democratic Party of Texas’s refusal to condemn a racist remark by their Lamar County Chair and the county party’s refusal to accept his resignation is astounding. Had a Republican chair made this remark, Democrats would be in the streets demanding his or her resignation. If the Democrats didn’t have double standards, they’d have no standards at all. They must be held accountable,” said Congressman Pat Fallon.

Congressman Michael Burgess (TX-26), Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25), and Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) are original cosponsors of the resolution. A screenshot of the post made by O’Connor may be found below. The post has since been deleted from O’Connor’s Facebook page.

Text of the resolution may be found below and a link to the resolution may be found HERE.

RESOLUTION:

Condemning the Texas Democratic Party for refusing to denounce racism.

Whereas racism is wholly antithetical to the principles of the United States and should not be harbored or defended by any political party, entity, or leader in the United States of America;

Whereas the Texas Democratic Party’s platform claims the party believes in ‘‘freedom . . . from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or any other improper grounds’’;

Whereas the Chairman for the Lamar County Democratic Party of Texas, Gary O’Connor, posted a defamatory and racist remark against Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina on Facebook, in which he referred to the Senator from South Carolina as an ‘‘oreo’’;

Whereas the term ‘‘oreo’’ is a well-documented ethnic slur used against people of color;

Whereas after multiple opportunities and repeated calls to censure or ask O’Connor to resign, the Democratic Party of Texas has refused to discipline O’Connor or revoke his chairmanship; and

Whereas the Democratic Party of Texas has refused to condemn or respond to the racist remark despite numerous opportunities and repeated calls to do so: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) condemns racism in any form;

(2) condemns the racist remarks made by Lamar County Democratic Chairman Gary O’Connor against Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina; and

(3) condemns the Texas Democratic Party’s refusal to condemn the racist remark made by its Lamar County Chair.

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