A Wisconsin congressman brought up Black Lives Matter during Wednesday’s House debate on the pandemic relief package – and a colleague called him out on it.
“(It)has a marriage penalty in it,” said 6th District Republican Glenn Grothman of the $1.6 trillion bill, dubbed the American Rescue Plan. “I bring it up because I know the strength that Black Lives Matter had in this last election. I know it’s a group that doesn’t like the old-fashioned family — disturbed that we have another program here in which we’re increasing the marriage penalty.”
The remark drew a sharp rebuke from Democrat, Delegate Stacy Plaskett of the Virgin Islands.
“We have been able to keep our families alive for over 400 years, and the assault on our families to not have Black lives or not even have Black families,” Plaskett said. “How dare you say that we are not interested in families in the Black community. That is outrageous that should be stricken down.”
#BlackLivesMatter and I had to let my Colleague from Wisconsin know that in so many words today. #HowDareYou #VIStrong pic.twitter.com/aKNVZoLGqJ
— Rep. Stacey Plaskett (@StaceyPlaskett) March 10, 2021
In an interview with the Journal Sentinel after the vote, Grothman said Plaskett misrepresented his remarks, and that they were directed only at Black Lives Matter and not the Black community as a whole. He called Black Lives Matter a “Marxist” organization.