Rep. Joaquin Castro (D) is facing criticism from both sides of the aisle after sharing the names and employers of dozens of Trump campaign donors in the San Antonio area.
In response to the mounting criticism, the Texas Rep. maintains that he has done nothing wrong.
As well, the Texas lawmakers has also received backlash from The New York Times and MSNBC.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) took to twitter to voice his disapproval of Castro’s actions, arguing that “EVERYONE needs to tone the hateful partisan rhetoric way down.”
EVERYONE needs to tone the hateful partisan rhetoric way down. This is WRONG & Castro should retract it. In our constitutional Republic, the People rightly hold their representatives accountable; elected representatives should not be vilifying & doxxing their own constituents. https://t.co/rrgQbK7PLU
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 6, 2019
He called Castro’s actions “WRONG” and that “Castro should retract it.”
In addition, Cruz explained that “In our constitutional Republic, the People rightly hold their representatives accountable; elected representatives should not be vilifying & doxxing their own constituents.”
However, Castro is maintaining his innocence.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R), House Minority Leader, took to twitter to slam Rep. Castro, saying that “targeting and harassing Americans because of their political beliefs is shameful and dangerous.”
In response, Castro commented that “no one was targeted or harassed in my post. You know that. All that info is routinely published.”
No one was targeted or harassed in my post. You know that. All that info is routinely published.
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. 1/2 https://t.co/TwUDC4m5tO
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) August 7, 2019
Moreover, Castro accused McCarthy of “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.”
In a back and forth with MSNBC’s Willie Geist, Castro was asked what he would tell people “who said I made a campaign donation and now I’m going to be harassed, I’m going to have people protesting outside my business or perhaps even my home.”
Castro responded that he doesn’t “want anybody harassed.”
Geist assured that “they will be because you put their names in public,” but Castro maintained that that was never his intention in posting the donor information.
When Geist reassured that “that’s what will happen” and that “there are 11 retirees and one homemaker” on the list Castro shared, Castro simply responded that “I didn’t make the graphic.”
