Kurtz: There's a difference between criticizing Trump and blaming him for mass shootings
Liberal media point finger at Trump in wake of mass shootings; 'MediaBuzz' host Howard Kurtz weighs in.
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, is not backing down from his tweet outing Trump donors in San Antonio, insisting they weren't "targeted or harassed" and that it wasn't a "call to action."
Castro, brother of former HUD secretary Julián Castro and the campaign chairman of his 2020 presidential campaign, shared a list of 44 individuals who gave the maximum donation to President Trump's campaign on Monday night, insisting that their contributions are "fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as 'invaders.'"
The list included their names and employers, several of whom are listed as "retired."
The tweet was condemned by the Trump campaign, GOP lawmakers, and several members of the media, with many urging him to delete the post.
TRUMP CAMPAIGN BLASTS DEM REP FOR TRYING TO NAME AND SHAME DONORS: 'DELETE & APOLOGIZE'
Castro later doubled down, saying he did not share "private or personal info" since the post did not include addresses and phone numbers, and insisting it wasn't a "call to action."
However, Castro also offered a fiery response to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who accused his Democratic colleague of "targeting and harassing Americans because of their political beliefs."
"No one was targeted or harassed in my post. You know that. All that info is routinely published," Castro tweeted. "You’re trying to distract from the racism that has overtaken the GOP and the fact that President Trump spends donor money on thousands of ads about Hispanics 'invading' America."
He added: "Donald Trump has put a target on the back of millions. And you’re too cowardly or agreeable to say anything about it. How about I stop mentioning Trump’s public campaign donors and he stops using their money for ads that fuel hate?"
Despite the growing criticism, Castro found one prominent defender: MSNBC host Joe Scarborough.
"Any business that donates to Trump is complicit and endorses the white supremacy he espoused in Charlottesville, with his 'send her back' chants, and by laughing at shouts that Hispanic immigrants should be shot," Scarborough tweeted. "Donors’ names are on FEC reports. They are newsworthy."
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The "Morning Joe" co-host and outspoken Trump critic expressed a similar sentiment on Monday morning.
"For those of you funding Donald Trump's re-election campaign, you may want to take note: Because you keep writing checks to this president, it's on you...because you are funding this white supremacist campaign," Scarborough told his viewers. "It is your money that is funding this white supremacy because you won't tell him to stop."