Schneider, Kinzinger blast Greene for latest Holocaust comparison
Chicago-area lawmakers on Tuesday joined congressional leaders in criticizing U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for comparing COVID-related safety measures to the Holocaust.
One of those lawmakers, Deerfield Democrat Brad Schneider, also announced he's drafting a resolution to formally censure Greene, a freshman Republican from Georgia who already has been stripped of committee assignments because of extreme views she's shared.
"Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene continues to debase not only the memory of 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis, but all those who fought and died defending Democracy against Hitler and his evil," Schneider, who represents the 10th District and is Jewish, said in a news release.
Fellow U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Channahon Republican who has been outspokenly critical of Greene and other GOP lawmakers espousing extremist views, called Greene's latest remarks "demented and dangerous."
"While we cannot stop her from calling herself a Republican, we can and should refuse to let her caucus with the @HouseGOP," Kinzinger tweeted.
Greene's newest controversial comment came Tuesday morning in response to a news report about a Virginia-based supermarket chain that plans to add a special logo to the name badges of employees who have been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.
"Vaccinated employees get a vaccination logo just like the Nazi's forced Jewish people to wear a gold star," Greene tweeted, including the incorrectly punctuated plural for Nazi.
She made a similar comment in an interview last week, regarding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desire to impose COVID-19 safety rules, such as mask wearing and social distancing, at the U.S. Capitol.
Greene previously sparked controversy by publicly supporting conspiracy theories, calling for the execution of Democratic politicians and accosting Democratic U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, among other comments and actions.
Greene's comments about the Holocaust in recent days drew condemnation from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.
"Marjorie is wrong, and her intentional decision to compare the horrors of the Holocaust with wearing masks is appalling," McCarthy said in a At a time when the Jewish people face increased violence and threats, anti-Semitism is on the rise in the Democrat Party and is completely ignored by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Americans must stand together to defeat anti-Semitism and any attempt to diminish the history of the Holocaust. "Let me be clear: the House Republican Conference condemns this language."">statement available on his website. "The Holocaust is the greatest atrocity committed in history. The fact that this needs to be stated today is deeply troubling."
Kinzinger called on the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP's main campaign group, to donate any contributions from Greene to a museum dedicated to the Holocaust.
Democrats lashed out at Greene, too.
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Schaumburg Democrat, called Greene's remarks "disgraceful."
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, a Chicago Democrat, called Greene's comments "an abhorrent affront" to the Jews killed in the Holocaust.
Schneider said there should be no room in American politics or government for "such unapologetic hate and antisemitism."
He called on McCarthy to join his movement to censure Greene. In the House, a censured member must stand while a resolution of rebuke is read aloud.
Passage would require a majority vote.
Greene responded to the criticisms with a series of tweets Tuesday.
In one, she denied comparing COVID safety efforts to the Holocaust, "only the discrimination against Jews in early Nazi years."
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston doesn't think Greene's detractors misunderstood her language.
"Marjorie Taylor Greene ... knew exactly what she was doing when she weaponized Holocaust imagery to attack efforts to protect the public health," said Schakowsky, who is Jewish.