Texas Representative Lance Gooden stirred powerful opposition after an appearance on Fox News where the congressman insinuated that California Representative Judy Chu was disloyal to the United States. Gooden’s diatribe drew swift rebuke from a large group of Democrats, with Hillary Clinton jumping into the fray to condemn Gooden’s comments, characterizing Gooden’s “attacks” as “false, racist, and xenophobic.”
The attacks on Rep. Judy Chu are false, racist, and xenophobic. All people of conscience should stand together to say so. https://t.co/3rH8c83oMk
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 25, 2023
Multiple statements by fellow Democratic congressmembers echoed Clinton’s rebuke. Rep. Adam Schiff, tweeted “We cannot allow anti-Asian bigotry to go without condemnation.” Rep. Dan Goldman wrote that Gooden’s “racist comments are not only disgusting and unacceptable, they are also dangerous. There must be consequences.”
[Note: the 69-year-old Chu, a former teacher born in Los Angeles to a WWII veteran father, has been in Congress since 2009. Gooden, 40, assumed Congressional office in 2019, after serving in the Texas Legislature.]
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus issued a statement saying “Insinuating that Chair Chu is disloyal to the United States because she is Chinese American is categorically wrong. This type of racist targeting and profiling of Chinese Americans by right-wing extremists is not only xenophobic, it is incredibly dangerous.”
The CAPAC statement called for Republican House leadership to condemn Gooden’s attacks.
Democrat @RepJudyChu:
— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) February 27, 2023
Voted AGAINST committee to investigate China.
Named 'Honorary Chairwoman' of CCP front group.
It's not 'xenophobic' to question where her loyalty lies.https://t.co/Pu8bQKzFJQ
In response, Gooden, an America First exponent, doubled down on his accusations, linking to an article in the rightwing Daily Caller (see below) and saying that “It’s not ‘xenophobic’ to question where her loyalty lies.”
He also tweeted to Clinton directly defending his stance and saying that China has donated millions to the Clinton Foundation. (In 2015, CBS News reported that the charitable foundation had raised more than $42 million from foreign governments.)
China has donated MILLIONS of dollars to the Clinton Foundation.
— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) February 25, 2023
It’s no wonder you let the CCP write your tweets for you.
While I have your attention, will you let us know if you join @RepJudyChu in standing with Dominic Ng and his CCP front groups? https://t.co/lS8SHJXHDu
In between sparring with Clinton and condemning Rep. Chu, the America First pol Gooden met with the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, the oil-rich Islamic monarchy, at the Amir’s palace. Gooden tweeted that he is “Very proud to support the strong friendship between Qatar and the USA.”
Very proud to support the strong friendship between Qatar and the USA. @MofaQatar_EN https://t.co/Si8lluc8TP
— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) February 26, 2023
