House Democrats on Friday ripped GOP Rep. Lance Gooden's comments questioning Rep. Judy Chu's loyalty to the United States.
Gooden, R-Texas, earlier this week suggested Chu, D-Calif., the nation's first Chinese American congresswoman, shouldn't be privy to classified information after Chu defended President Joe Biden’s pick to lead U.S. trade interest in Asia, Dominic Ng, following a Daily Caller report that said Ng had been a member of two Chinese front groups.
"I question either her loyalty or competence," Gooden told Fox News on Wednesday. "If she doesn't realize what's going on, then she's totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies."
Chu called Gooden's remarks "racist" and demanded an apology.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in a statement said Gooden's "slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic.
"Congressman Gooden appears to sympathize with violent insurrectionists and spreads big lies to the American people, having voted not to certify the election of President Joe Biden. Look in the mirror, Lance. You have zero credibility," he added.
Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., condemned Gooden's remarks.
"At a time when anti-Asian hate continues to threaten communities, it's critical that we condemn these racist and xenophobic attacks immediately and hold our fellow colleagues accountable to rid our politics of such dangerous statements and hatred," she said.
According to the Daily Caller, Ng served as executive director at the China Overseas Exchange Association from 2013 to 2017 before a five-year term as executive director of the related China Overseas Friendship Association in 2019.
According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, both groups are front groups for United Front Work Department, an agency within the Chinese Communist Party that conducts intelligence and influence operations.
Gooden said the FBI should investigate Ng. When asked about Chu and Jeffries' remarks, he said: "Rather than following facts that indicate the presence of Chinese espionage, Chu and Jeffries are playing the race card in a sick display of disloyalty to our nation."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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