TX-21 congressman compared efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus to “Nazi Germany” and called local leaders “tin-pot dictators”
On Wednesday evening, Jewish Americans will observe Passover and ask the time-honored question: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” along with a new one: “What is wrong with Chip Roy?”
On Monday, vulnerable Texas Congressman Chip Roy called in to right-wing radio to dish out his red-hot coronavirus takes and compared the CDC measures encouraging individuals to stay home to “Nazi Germany” – days before Jewish people worldwide will celebrate Passover, a holiday marking their liberation from persecution.
Congressman Chip Roy, 4/6/2020:
“There is a Maine sheriff today who basically told the Maine governor to pound sand. He is not going to go around and check people when they are driving around the State of Maine. We need more of that. We need more rational human beings that are going to step back and say ‘no, this isn’t a police state, this isn’t Nazi Germany, this isn’t Russia, we aren’t going to do that.’”
In response, DCCC spokesman Avery Jaffe issued the following statement:
“The Nazi regime’s persecution of Jews was one of man’s most evil acts and should never be used by Members of Congress for talk radio hyperbole. Congressman Roy equating common-sense public health measures with ‘Nazi Germany’ would show a profound lack of judgment at any time, but his invocation while medical professionals are asking for our help to save lives is despicable. Congressman Roy’s remarks show he’s unfit for office and every Republican in Congress should condemn his rhetoric.”
Congressman Roy also called local elected officials who are following CDC public health guidance to “dictators” and said every business should be open. Roy has repeatedly called for businesses to re-open:
- “I always get entertained or really frankly ticked off at these local county judges and mayors and these little tin-pot dictators, that are making decisions about peoples’ lives when they declare what is and is not an essential business.”
- “You know what? Any business is essential to its owner and he people who work there. Every single one of them… and all the ‘central planners’ effectively are deciding how we live our lives.”
Roy also downplayed public fears over coronavirus, questioned the science and said “there might be some truth” to social distancing measures’ role in slowing the spread:
- “But, here is what drives me nuts, is I see these people, friends of ours, friends of yours and mine on the right even who will say, ‘Well look, this is because we have been reacting and doing all the social distancing and this is why all of the numbers are looking good.’ Now, hold on a second, okay, there might be some truth to that… But, going out and screaming to the American people that 2 million people are going to die, and you wonder why everyone is retreating from economic activity. You wonder why we have 10 million jobless.”
- “But, to sit here and scare the world with numbers that make no sense. They are not even models, they are just fingers in the air and they are throwing them out there and they are causing the American people to freak out and panic, instead of going through this logically. You said it, allowing us to use our own judgement for the most part to make rational decisions.”
- “Maybe I don’t want to be sitting next to somebody in the middle row on an airplane. But, maybe I would choose to separate every other seat on the airplane.”
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