House Speaker Mike Johnson has defended a colleague who attacked Haitian immigrants online, adding that The House believes in redemption.
Johnson stood by Congressman Clay Higgins of Louisiana, who came under fire for a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he has now deleted.
The post accused Haitians of “eating pets, vudu” and then said “nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters.”
House Speaker, Mike Johnson (right) behind Rep. Clay Higgins (center) at a Washington, D.C. news conference in May. Johnson has defended Higgins against backlash over an anti-Haitian tweet.
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
The post, which was captured in a screenshot by reporter Melanie Zanona of Punchbowl News before it was deleted, went on to say that Haitians are filing charges against “our President and VP.”
This is presumably not referring to the sitting President and VP, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, but to candidates Donald Trump and JD Vance, named in allegations being filed by The Haitian Bridge Alliance advocacy group for allegedly disrupting public services due to the threats distributed after their rhetoric against the Haitian community went global.
Higgins ended his post telling Haitians to leave the U.S. by January 20th, inauguration day.
When approached by reporters, Speaker Johnson said that he had not seen the tweet, but that Higgins is a dear friend of his.
He said of his colleague from Louisiana: “He’s a very frank and outspoken person, but he’s also a very principled man.”
Johnson said that Higgins was approached on the floor by colleagues who said it was offensive. Johnson said that Higgins then “prayed about it, he regretted it, and he pulled the post down.”
Johnson added that Higgins probably regrets some of the language that he used but “we move forward. We believe in redemption around here.”
Congressman Higgins has been contacted via email outside of work hours for comment.
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) speaking to a reporter at a GOP caucus meeting on Capitol Hill on June 4, 2024, Washington, D.C. Higgins deleted his offensive tweet about Haitians.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Johnson was one of Higgins’ few defenders, as fellow GOP members spoke out against his post.
Republican representative, Mike Lawler from New York’s 97th district, said on X: “The Haitian people are good and honorable people, who contribute greatly to our country.
As a Representative of one of the largest Haitian diaspora in the country, I know this first hand. No one should attack or disparage them. Let’s do better.”
The Haitian people are good and honorable people, who contribute greatly to our country. As a Representative of one of the largest Haitian diaspora in the country, I know this first hand. No one should attack or disparage them. Let’s do better.
— Mike Lawler (@lawler4ny) September 25, 2024
Additionally, Republican representative Byron Donalds from Florida’s 19th district told reporters that he had a “productive conversation” with Higgins where he told the Congressman that the content of his post was “not a good statement.”
Hakeem Jeffries, the Minority Leader of the House, released a statement condemning the post, saying: “The disgusting statement by Clay Higgins about the Haitian community is vile, racist and beneath the dignity of the United States House of Representatives.
“He must be held accountable for dishonorable conduct that is unbecoming of a Member of Congress.”
Jeffries also called Higgins a “conspiracy-peddling racial arsonist.”
Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, also filed a motion to censure Higgins due to the language used in the post.
This post from Congressman Higgins was the latest in a slew of anti-Haitian messaging, which started when Ohio Senator, and Vice Presidential candidate, JD Vance shared a post that falsely said Haitian migrants in Springfield Ohio were eating people’s pets. Donald Trump also referenced the story in his TV debate with Kamala Harris.
This claim has been branded false by local politicians, including Republican Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine. It was also debunked by the Springfield PD who told Newsweek on September 10 that there were “no credible reports” of migrants eating pets in the area.
And the Donald Trump supporter who filed the police report accusing Haitians of stealing her cat and eating it discovered her pet alive and well, hiding in her own basement.
The story of Haitians eating pets has led to dangerous threats in the area, as noted in the Haitian Bridge Alliance’s lawsuit, including more than 30 bomb threats.
Newsweek also previously reported on a Haitian man in Springfield who said he’s been called a racial slur twice in one week following the disinformation surrounding migrants.
