House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., defended Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., from criticism by Republicans for her calls to protesters near Minneapolis to ''get more confrontational'' if ex-police officer Derek Chauvin was found innocent in the death of George Floyd, reported the Washington Examiner.
Hoyer said Tuesday the House should reject any GOP move to censure Waters, who is chairwoman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, for her visit to Minnesota over the weekend and telling protesters to ''stay on the street" and ''get more confrontational.''
''It’s a totally phony effort to distract from what the Republicans know has been the rhetoric of so many of their members, which has aided and abetted and condoned violent activity,'' he said.
House Democrats voted later Tuesday to defeat the Republican resolution condemning Waters.
Hoyer's comments came despite the judge in the Chauvin trial severely rebuking Waters on Monday for her remarks, suggesting they could be reason for an appeals court to overturn any guilty verdict.
The top House Democrat downplayed Waters' remarks, characterizing them as simple rhetoric.
''To confront is to come face to face with what you need to, ah, face or to deal with, and that is what she said,'' Hoyer said when a reporter asked how Democrat leaders planned to respond to Waters. ''It does not imply violence.''
Hoyer also said he believes that Republicans are in no position to attack her, he said, even if the terms used ''may well imply an aggressive confrontation.''
Hoyer has echoed the statements of other Democrats, who have criticized Republicans such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, claiming their rhetoric contesting the results of the presidential election led to the Jan. 6 disturbances at the U.S. Capitol.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also invoked Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who, according to anonymous reports, is being investigated by the Department of Justice.
''Clean up your mess, Kevin,'' Jeffries said according to the Examiner. ''Sit this one out. You've got no credibility here. We support peaceful protests."
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