Rep. Tim Ryan blasts Trump after weekend shootings
Rep. Tim Ryan blasts Trump after weekend shootings
President Trump divides Americans along racial lines and uses charged language that has created a troubling environment, according to Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio.
"I believe that the president is most certainly creating an environment here where people like this kid in El Paso drive 10 hours to go kill quote-unquote kill Mexicans, kill people of color," Ryan during an interview with Neil Cavuto on "Your World."
"And when you look at what the president has done around Charlottesville, saying 'both good people on both sides,' saying 'go back to your country,' people cheering at the rally 'send her back,' race-baiting on multiple occasions -- that is creating an environment where, maybe not the average person is going to do something stupid, but the lowest common denominator most certainly is."
In the aftermath of the El Paso attack, Texas, investigators were examining an alleged manifesto that the 21-year-old is believed to have written and would indicate “a nexus to a hate crime.”
On "Your World," host Neil Cavuto pushed back on Ryan's assertion about the president, pointing to allegations congressional baseball practice gunman James Hodgkinson was a devout supporter of liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
"When we had this guy that attacked Republicans on a baseball field, who was a big loyalist to Bernie Sanders, that would be like blaming Bernie Sanders, is that fair?" Cavuto asked.
At the time, Sanders disavowed Hodgkinson and called the shooting that wounded Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La. and injured several others, a, "despicable act."
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Responding to Cavuto, Ryan said he has political differences with the self-described democratic socialist, but claimed Sanders is not fomenting, "an environment of intolerance," while Trump purportedly is.
"He's not 'other-ing' people, he's not dismissing people because of the color of their skin," the Ohio Democrat said of the Vermont senator.
"You hear the president, you know what he says -- he race baits. This guy alienates people and tries to separate us based on color."
In response, Cavuto noted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., does not believe Trump is a racist but has said he uses racist language.
"She doesn't think he's a racist. You're proclaiming he is," Cavuto said.
Ryan responded, claiming the president indeed is one.
"I don't think there's any question he is, and I don't say that lightly -- I'm not proud of it," the lawmaker said, adding he is troubled by comments the president made in the past about Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. and other African-Americans.
Fox News' Nicole Darrah contributed to this report.