Democrat Al Green: Ralph Northam Blackface Scandal Symptom of ‘Trump’s Bigotry’

Rep. Al Green (D-TX) said on Thursday that Virginia Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal is a symptom of President Donald J. Trump’s “bigotry” and promised to keep pushing impeachment.

Green promised to press forward with the impeachment of President Trump, contending that Gov. Northam’s refusal to resign amidst his blackface scandal is a symptom of Trump’s alleged racist views.

“When we allow bigotry to infect the body politic with impunity at the highest level, other levels will expect impunity for their bigotry,” Green tweeted on Thursday. “Gov. Northam’s refusal to resign for his bigotry is a symptom. Failure to act on Pres. Trump’s bigotry is the problem. #ImpeachmentIsNotDead.”

When we allow bigotry to infect the body politic with impunity at the highest level, other levels will expect impunity for their bigotry. Gov. Northam’s refusal to resign for his bigotry is a symptom. Failure to act on Pres. Trump’s bigotry is the problem. #ImpeachmentIsNotDead

— Congressman Al Green (@RepAlGreen) February 7, 2019

Green also said on Thursday that he will push for an impeachment vote regardless of what Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation says about alleged Russian collusion during the 2016 presidential campaign.

“There will be a vote on impeachment regardless as to what the Mueller Commission says,” Green said on the House floor on Thursday.

.@RepAlGreen: "There will be a vote on impeachment regardless as to what the Mueller Commission says." pic.twitter.com/07Nk0YxTHZ

— CSPAN (@cspan) February 7, 2019

Rep. Green has already forced two failed impeachment votes on the House floor, asked lawmakers to go “on record” and reject bigotry that starts “at the top.”

Northam, as well as Attorney General Mark Herring, continue to face calls to resign after they both admitted to wearing blackface in the 1980s. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax faces an accusation of sexual misconduct as well and subsequent calls to resign.

The Washington Post called on Northam to resign in an editorial on Wednesday. Virginia Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox, who would become governor if Northam, Fairfax, and Herring resign, also called on Herring to resign after admitting to wearing blackface.

“You have in Virginia, a Klansman and blackface next to each other in a yearbook. It has been acknowledged as that of the governor,” Congressman Green said. “There is enough evidence not only to ask that the governor resign but to demand that he do so.

Green continued:

But I understand why this level of bigotry is going to be tolerated to a certain extent because we don’t want to take on the president. If we allow the president to exist with his bigotry, how can we demand with any degree of credibility that the governor resign? We have to start at the top. This level of bigotry is trickling down.