Louisiana Democrat Governor Sides with ‘the Squad,’ Rebukes Trump’s Comments

Democrat Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards condemned President Donald Trump’s “go back” remarks and sided with the Democrats’ so called “squad” on Wednesday.

In a radio appearance, Edwards insisted Trump’s comments were reminiscent of those “made during the civil rights movement.”

“The president has said he didn’t intend for it to be a racist statement,” Edwards stated. “For the people who were targeted you can compare that statement with statements that were made during the civil rights movement.”

“It’s unfortuante,” Edwards added. “We really ought to do better and look I think it’s perfectly appropriate to express policy differences and that’s normal. We should be doing that.”

Edwards also said “both sides” have contributed to the divisive political discourse that is occuring in America.

Earlier this week, Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-LA), who is challenging Edwards in Louisiana’s 2019 gubernatorial race, defended President Trump’s remarks about the “squad” and offered to pay for “their tickets out of this country.”

“There’s no question that the members of Congress that @realDonaldTrump called out have absolutely said anti-American and anti-Semitic things,” Abraham wrote in a Monday evening tweet. “I’ll pay for their tickets out of this country if they just tell me where they’d rather be.”

There’s no question that the members of Congress that @realDonaldTrump called out have absolutely said anti-American and anti-Semitic things. I’ll pay for their tickets out of this country if they just tell me where they’d rather be.

— Rep. Ralph Abraham (@RepAbraham) July 15, 2019

Edwards went on to criticize Abraham for his defense of Trump and his comments on arranging travel out of the country for “squad” members, saying his comments were “beyond the pale.”

“That’s very, very unfortunate,” Edwards said. “Louisianans are better than that and hopefully they will demand better than that of their governor.”

Abraham delivered remarks from the House floor Tuesday night as Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) — who has been a focal point of President Trump’s criticism — sat in the Speaker’s chair.

Abraham said:

“Madame chair, I am concerned with the rhetoric I have continually heard from the other side. I believe that all members of this body love our country, but some statements from this House are un-American in tone, such as comparing ICE detention centers to concentration camps and the Holocaust, suggestions that terrorist organizations were justified in attacking our great nation. Members have even used language expressing how ashamed they are of this country. And I am fed up with those continued attacks on the very foundations of this great nation.