Rep. Chip Roy calls Texas lynching an example of justice, then doubles down: 'I meant it'

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, caused a firestorm at a hearing Thursday about Asian Americans and hate crimes by invoking lynching in Texas as an example of justice.

He said he opposed limits on free speech, but that "all Americans deserve protection," citing "old sayings in Texas" about lynching.

“We believe in justice. There’s old sayings in Texas about 'find all the rope in Texas and get a tall oak tree,'” he said. “You know, we take justice very seriously, and we ought to do that. Round up the bad guys. That’s what we believe.”

His remarks at the House Judiciary Committee, days after the murder in Atlanta of eight people, six of whom were Asian, brought Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., to tears, as she lashed out at Roy.

Related: Rep. Grace Meng calls out GOP at hearing on anti-Asian discrimination

Others condemned Roy, including Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who said on CNN that Roy “should be ashamed of himself.”

The Democratic Party of Texas called on Roy to resign.

“It is an outrage, and terrifying, to hear a congressman claiming any connection between lynchings and justice. Chip Roy is a danger to Americans and Texas Democrats are calling for his immediate resignation," said Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa. "Roy’s words are a white supremacist dog whistle you can spot from a mile away."

Roy issued a clarifying statement after the hearing and further explained himself to the Austin American-Statesman.

“I’m pro-law enforcement. I’m pro taking out the bad guys. Hang 'em high,” he told the Statesman. Asked about the racial connotations of lynching for African Americans, Roy said, “Yeah, so? It was a metaphor for justice.”

In a tweet, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., who is Asian American, said: “Chip Roy glorified lynching at a hearing on violence against Asians. The largest mass lynching in US history was against Chinese immigrants. I served on active duty in the US military to defend @chiproytx’s right to say stupid, racist stuff. I just wish he would stop saying it.”

In 1871, a mob of about 500 men entered China Town in Los Angeles and lynched 17 to 20 Chinese immigrants.

In his statement, Roy doubled down on his lynching reference.

"Apparently some folks are freaking out that I used an old expression about finding all the rope in Texas and a tall oak tree about carrying out justice against bad guys. I meant it. We need more justice and less thought policing,” he said.

“We should restore order by tamping out evil actors, not turn America into an authoritarian state like the Chinese Communists who seek to destroy us,” he said, adding, “No apologies.”

Roy was unhappy that the hearing, which featured many prominent Asian Americans, including actor Daniel Dae Kim, was directed at the use of language such as calling the coronavirus “the China virus” instead of what he saw as the need to go after “bad actors.”

“It’s trying to quell speech,” he said. Roy, who uses the term “Chicom” to refer to the Chinese Communist Party, said the problem was that the Chinese government hid the virus and its devastating impact early on.

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Roy rejected reports by Asian Americans that remarks from then-President Donald Trump and other lawmakers blaming China had fueled hatred and inflamed racism against Asian Americans.

But Meng, who spoke shortly after Roy, said to him, “Your president and your party and your colleagues can talk about issues with any other country that you want, but you don't have to do it by putting a bull's-eyes on the back of Asian Americans across this country, on our grandparents, on our kids," Meng said. "This hearing was to address the hurt and pain of our community to find solutions and we will not let you take our voice away from us."

Asked by the Statesman if he was going to apologize to Meng, Roy said: “For what? I don’t think we should be acting like the Chinese Communist Party.”

The hearing was titled “Discrimination and Violence Against Asian Americans” and was scheduled before the Atlanta shootings because of the large number of acts of violence against Asian Americans in the past year.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas' Chip Roy calls lynching an example of justice, causing uproar