Today, controversial rancher Cliven Bundy will kick-off a two day “Bundy Ranch Freedom Reunion” to celebrate the armed standoff with Bureau of Land Management agents in Bunkerville, Nevada (Event Flyer). It’s important to remember that while people from coast to coast were renouncing Bundy’s lawlessness and racist rants last year, Congressman Cresent Hardy steadfastly defended his actions.
“This reunion is a stark reminder for people in the 4th District that it’s way past due for Congressman Hardy to condemn the shameful actions of his old friend Cliven Bundy,” said DCCC Communications Director Matt Thornton. “A failure to do so – and a continued refusal to apologize for his own litany of offensive comments – shows that the Congressman is not serious about representing this diverse district.”
“[African-Americans] abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And I’ve often wondered, are they better off as slaves…” – Cliven Bundy [New York Times, 4/23/14]
(WATCH: Bundy’s Racist Rant)
“I stand with Cliven Bundy…” – Cresent Hardy [MyNews3, 10/07/14]
BACKGROUND
Hardy Continued to Support Bundy Months After Armed Standoff And Racist Rant, Saying: “I Stand With Cliven Bundy.” “During an October 2014 debate with Rep. Horsford in Las Vegas, Hardy said, “I stand with Cliven Bundy on the land issues and First Amendment rights.” [MyNews3, 10/07/14]
Hardy: Armed Standoff Results From “Long-Standing Problem With Federal Government Overreach.” “The events surrounding Cliven Bundy’s cattle are unfortunate and reflect a long-standing problem with federal government overreach.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/11/14; Facebook, 4/11/14]
Bundy Criticized For Vile Comments About African-Americans Being Better Off As Slaves. “‘I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro…’ Mr. Bundy recalled driving past a public-housing project in North Las Vegas, ‘and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids — and there is always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch — they didn’t have nothing to do. They didn’t have nothing for their kids to do. They didn’t have nothing for their young girls to do. ‘And because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?’ he asked. ‘They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And I’ve often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn’t get no more freedom. They got less freedom.’” [New York Times, 4/23/14]
Hardy Supported Bundy Despite Racial Attacks On African Americans. “In April, the two rushed to show how much support they’ve given Cliven Bundy during his standoff with the Bureau of Land Management, which has tried to collect land fees from the rancher. Their support for him came even after The New York Times reported on his racist comments toward African-Americans.” Huffington Post, 6/09/14]
Hardy Remained In Touch With Bundy After Racist Comments. “Hardy, who grew up with Bundy, says he is still in touch with him.” [KLAS-TV Las Vegas, 5/29/14]
Hardy Didn’t Think Slavery Rant Was Intended To Offend Anyone. “Hardy doesn’t believe Bundy intended to offend blacks, but Hardy also said, ‘I don’t agree with him.’ ‘I think they were wrong,’ Hardy said of Bundy’s statements. ‘They were very inappropriate.’” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/29/14]
Hardy Did Not Run For Congress Before Because He Thought 4th District Had Too Many Minorities. “…Hardy also said when he was first asked to run, “I didn’t think it was a winnable race…because I thought it was a minority district.” (And, you know, he’s white.) But then he did some homework. ‘There’s less than 14 percent black American in this district,” he told the audience. “Most people believe it’s a black American (district)…because there’s a black candidate, (corrects self) a black congressman (Steven Horsford).’ (Because a bunch of whites would never elect a black guy, you see!) Oy.” [Ralston Reports, 9/24/14]
Hardy Compared ENDA To “Segregation Laws,” Promoting Class Divisions. “Hardy also would oppose the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, a federal measure that would make it a crime for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on the employee’s sexual orientation or gender identity, adding that language to a list of federally protected classes. In 2011, Hardy voted against a similar law in Nevada; Horsford supported it. ‘When we create classes, we create that same separation that we’re trying to unfold somehow,’ he said. ‘By continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another. We are creating classes of people through these laws.’” [Las Vegas Sun, 2/18/14]
Hardy Validated Romney’s “47 Percent” Comments, Stating That It Was True And Even “Bigger Now.” “’Can I say that without getting in trouble like Gov. Romney,’ Cresent Hardy, a state assemblyman, said in a video posted online by the Nevada State Democratic Party. ‘The 47 percent is true. It’s bigger now.’” [Huffington Post, 9/24/14]
Hardy Criticized Welfare Recipients Who Abuse The System By Driving Fancy Cars. ‘”If somebody pulls up in a welfare district in a big fancy Escalade, do you think they need welfare at that time?’ Hardy asked. ‘I believe what the founding fathers said: ‘We’re entitled to equal rights, not equal things.’” [Steve Sebelius Column, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 9/24/14]