Sen. Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Warren, Pressley introduce bill to make it a crime for police officers to deny medical care to people in custody Senate Dems press DOJ over coronavirus safety precautions in juvenile detention centers MORE (D-N.Y.) called on Rep. Steve KingSteven (Steve) Arnold KingGOP lawmakers say Steve King’s loss could help them in November The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden on the cusp of formally grasping the Democratic nomination The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Sights and sounds from the protests MORE (R-Iowa) to resign Wednesday after the embattled congressman questioned whether there would be “any population of the world left” if not for rape and incest throughout history.
“You are a disgrace. Resign,” Gillibrand, who is vying for the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential nomination, said in a tweet.
.@SteveKingIA: You are a disgrace. Resign. https://t.co/Tbu1e1mZ9O
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) August 14, 2019
Sen. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE’s (D-N.J.) campaign issued a statement shortly after reports of King’s remarks, echoing Gillibrand’s call for King to resign.
“Every Iowa leader, regardless of party, should condemn Representative King’s comments, an exercise they should all be familiar with by now, and join us in asking for his resignation,” Booker’s campaign said in a statement.
ADVERTISEMENT
Democratic presidential candidate and former Rep. Beto O’RourkeBeto O’RourkeBiden will help close out Texas Democrats’ virtual convention: report O’Rourke on Texas reopening: ‘Dangerous, dumb and weak’ Parties gear up for battle over Texas state House MORE (D-Texas), responded to King’s comments by endorsing the Iowa congressman’s potential Democratic challenger, J.D. Scholten.
Click Here: Fjallraven Kanken Art Spring Landscape Backpacks
“My friend @JDScholten is standing up and fighting back against Steve King, and he needs all of our help — because no matter where you live, you know there’s no place for Steve King’s racism, bigotry, and hatred in Congress,” O’Rourke tweeted.
My friend @JDScholten is standing up and fighting back against Steve King, and he needs all of our help — because no matter where you live, you know there’s no place for Steve King’s racism, bigotry, and hatred in Congress.
Pitch in: https://t.co/X0C2Yrt8tq https://t.co/PDzXsj36mF
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 14, 2019
King sparked controversy on Wednesday while defending anti-abortion legislation that did not have exceptions for rape and incest.
“What if we went back through all the family trees and just pulled out anyone who was a product of rape or incest? Would there be any population of the world left if we did that?” King told a crowd at the Westside Conservative Club. “Considering all the wars and all the rapes and pillages that happened throughout all these different nations, I know that I can’t say that I was not a part of a product of that.”
The Catholic lawmaker argued that the bad circumstances of a baby’s conception does not negate their right to life.
King, a nine-term lawmaker who has a history of making controversial comments, was removed from his positions on the House Judiciary, Agriculture and Small Business committees earlier this year after questioning during an interview with The New York Times how terms such as “white supremacist” and “white nationalist” became “offensive.”
Gillibrand called on King to resign in January during her first visit to Iowa as a potential presidential candidate, shortly after King’s comments to the Times.