Two resolutions in the House to censure GOP Rep. Steve King over racist comments have been referred to the House ethics committee rather than getting a vote on the House floor Wednesday, despite pushback from some Democratic members.
When Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush, who proposed one of the resolutions, brought it up on the House floor Wednesday night, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer made the move to refer it to committee. Rush did not object.
Rush told reporters he got a commitment from leadership that if King makes offensive remarks in the future, leadership will let Rush move forward with a censure resolution and get a vote.
A spokesman for Pelosi’s office did not return a request to comment on any commitment.
On Tuesday, the House voted on a resolution of disapproval of white nationalism and white supremacy, an indirect rebuke of King’s recent comments where he appeared to question why words such as “white nationalist, white supremacist” were considered offensive. That resolution did not go as far as a censure, which would be a stronger reprimand.
Some Democratic leaders expressed concern at setting a precedent of censuring members over offensive speech, which could potentially put Republicans and Democrats in a long-running battle over censures. Both House Democratic Whip James Clyburn and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have expressed such concerns, though both appeared to be open to supporting a censure if one were to come up.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday night, Rush said he didn’t continue to fight for a vote for his resolution because he didn’t want to put his party in an awkward position against leadership.
Rush said he was disappointed in the disapproval resolution from Tuesday because it “condemned bigotry and ignored the bigot in the US House of Representatives.”
Rush was the only member in the House who voted against the disapproval resolution on Tuesday, saying it didn’t go far enough. All other members, including King, supported it.
Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who also introduced censure resolution that was referred to the ethics committee, said King “definitely dodged a bullet” with the disapproval resolution.
“There were a lot of us who really wanted (a censure) to happen,” Ryan added.
Ryan told reporters he was disappointed and felt King’s comments “rose to the level of a censure given all of the past behavior.”
“We’re sick of that rhetoric, we’re sick of it coming from the White House, we’re sick of it coming from Congressman King,” Ryan said. “It’s time to put our foot down.”
King was also stripped of his committee positions by the House Republican Steering Committee following comments he made that were published in The New York Times, in which he said, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?”
King did not apologize for his remarks but on Friday said he regretted the “heartburn” his comments had caused his district. King has repeatedly said his comments were “mischaracterized” by the Times report.