SC representative quotes MLK in defense of Trump during impeachment hearing

Rep. Nancy Mace cited the civil rights leader and asked her colleagues to remember ‘the time is always right to do what is right.’

Newly sworn-in congresswoman U.S. Representative Nancy Mace used her first time speaking on the House floor to quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the impeachment hearing against President Donald Trump.

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Mace imposed the impeachment and used her speech to call for unity. She suggested POTUS be held accountable but also added that parties on both sides are responsible for what occurred at the Capitol last Wednesday.

During the speech, she used words from the civil rights leader in an attempt to inspire her peers to make the “right” decision.

“I hold him accountable for the events that transpired for the attack on the Capitol last Wednesday. I also believe we need to hold accountable every single person, even members of Congress if they contributed to the violence that transpired here. But today, I’m asking my colleagues to remember the words of the legendary, the great leader in this country, Dr. Martin Luther King, who once said the time is always right to do what is right,” Mace stated.

She continued by describing months of violence in the United States and claimed that everyone holds some form of responsibility.

“We need to recognize, number one, that our words have consequences. That there is violence on both sides of the aisle. We’ve contributed to it. We need to take responsibility for our words and our actions. We need to acknowledge there is a problem, take responsibility for it, and stop being part of the problem and start being part of the solution,” Mace remarked.

Read More: Trump says ‘tremendous anger’ in nation over impeachment

Several Twitter users were upset at her use of Dr. King’s quote to support Trump. Journalist and political commentator Joy-Ann Reid wrote, “Pro-tip: always squint your eyes and prepare for some full-throated, irony-murdering BS when a Republican launches into an MLK quote.”

theGrio’s VP of Digital Content and senior correspondent Natasha Alford simply stated, “Just…don’t.”

CNN commentator Keith Boykin said, “For a second there, I thought I might actually agree with Republican Representative Nancy Mace, but then she veered off into that nonsense of blaming “both sides” and pretending that violence in this country only started 9 months ago.”

According to Ballotpedia, Mace assumed office on January 3, 2021, and the term ends on January 3, 2023. She won the general election in November 2020 against Democratic candidate Joe Cunningham with 50.6 percent of the votes compared to his 49.3.

Prior to becoming a member of Congress, she served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2018-2020.

theGrio reported Trump might become the first president in history to be impeached twice after allegedly inciting an attempted insurrection in an attempt to reverse President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

The Capitol’s riot resulted in fatalities and continued arrests of defiant citizens who trespassed, damaged, and looted a government building.

“We are debating this historic measure at a crime scene,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

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