Washington, D.C., (TN Tribune)- This week, Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH) took to Twitter to recount an appalling encounter with one of her fellow Congressmen.
As Rep. Beatty recalls, she respectfully asked Rep. Hal Rogers (KY) to wear a mask as their group boarded a train. Per Rep. Beatty, Rep. Rogers responded by poking her in the back, and telling her to “Kiss his [expletive]!”
The National Bar Association is utterly dismayed by the sheer disrespect displayed by Rep. Hal Rogers.
While the world is fighting a pandemic, we know that people of Color have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, hence, many people of Color, like Rep. Beatty, taking precautions like mask wearing very seriously, as they should. Rep. Rogers’ words show a disrespectful lack of civility, and his actions in making unwanted physical contact with Rep. Beatty rise to the level of assault and battery.
“Our legislators of Color should be able to go to work everyday for their constituents just like every other member of Congress. Unfortunately, Rep. Beatty’s encounter yesterday shows that in addition to their difficult jobs endeavoring to make a more equitable society, they are also forced to deal with microagressions and even outright attacks like these. I am so sorry that Rep. Beatty had to experience this, and demand that Rep. Rogers be held accountable,” NBA President Carlos Moore.
The National Bar Association decries Rep. Hal Rogers behavior, and demands he be charged criminally for assault and battery as well as censured by or removed from Congress.
