Posted on 08/06/2019 2:35:36 PM PDT by Kazan
President Donald Trump's reelection campaign has taken issue with a Facebook post from Texas congressman Joaquin Castro that lists the names and employers of Trump donors in San Antonio and accuses the private citizens of "contributing to harmful rhetoric that targets the Hispanic community and so many others."
Castro, twin brother of 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro, posted late Monday night on Facebook that he was "sad to see so many San Antonians on this list of maximum donors to Donald Trump." He specifically called out two companies, including a popular BBQ restaurant, and posted a list of 44 donors, with their full names and employers.
Trump campaign official Tim Murtaugh highlighted the post on Tuesday, calling it a "target list."
"This is Joaquin Castro, Congressman & chair of his brother's campaign," Murtaugh wrote. "Naming private citizens & their employers, targeting them for political views and exercising 1st Amendment rights."
"At the very least [Castro] is inviting harassment of these private citizens," he said. "At worst, he's encouraging violence."
"Should delete & apologize," Murtaugh added. "Castro campaign should disavow."
A request for comment to Julian Castro's presidential campaign was not immediately returned.
The decision by Joaquin Castro comes days after two deadly shootings in the United States, with information indicating that both murderers held radical political beliefs.
Just a few hours before his Facebook post, the congressman appeared on MSNBC to blame Trump for the actions of the man who killed more than 20 in El Paso.
"A lot of the language that the shooter used is eerily similar to language that the president has used to dehumanize and demonize Hispanic immigrants in this country." he said during an interview with Chris Matthews. "So the president has created this deadly climate where people are acting upon the kind of words and language that he has inspired in them."
His Facebook post quickly succeeded, if his goal was to create animosity within the San Antonio community. Many immediately pledged to no longer give business to companies owned by donors to Trump.
"Time to start buying bbq and gas somewhere else!!" wrote one Facebook user. "Boycott all their businesses, hit them where it hurts, their pockets," wrote another.
Campaigns are required to publicly disclose the names and employers of all their donors, which can be found in filings to the Federal Election Commission. It is highly unusual for politicians to use their public platforms, however, to highlight the names of political donors of their opponents.
Neither can speak Spanish, curiously.
Castro did exactly what he is accused of. He posted the names of Trump supporters and their businesses on Twitter as well. I saw the tweet.
And I hope he does. These slime-balls are instigating violence.
What if someone were to post this idiot’s address and phone number? Of course, we can’t have that. He’d go crying and running away like a brat.
What a lowdown thing to do.
not for a Congress critter, they are allowed to do or say anything they want these days.
War is coming to us All!
.if people dont see it they are blind..I can see the writing on the wall..
See my tag line.
L
Fun Facts:
Neither Julian nor Joaquin speak Spanish. Julian took Latin in high school, Joaquin took German.
Their grandmother came from Mexico as a child. Their mother (founder of LaRaza) was born in America.
“This is dangerous in so many ways. It is intimidation, an attempt at repression of political speech, a veiled threat and more.”
You are correct as to the motivation. However, Castro has the right of free speech which is protected by the Constitution. Communicating publicly available information to a wide audience is protected speech under our Constitution and laws.
The intent is to repress political speech yet technically the communication of publicly available information about the identity of donors does not stop the donor from giving money or otherwise expressing support for a candidate. The Castros are not responsible for the actions of customers who stop patronizing a business or an employer who fires and employee for donating to Trump. The consequences are the actions of others who are free to choose to stop doing business with someone whose views they dislike.
If we truly value the right to free speech we have to accept we will find some speech offensive, objectionable, or even harmful to our own self interests. If we would ban speech we find offensive we should have no issue with others insisting on the right to ban our speech.
A conservative relative of mine is a frequent writer of letters to the editor of the local newspaper. He usually points out hypocrisy of national and local politicians and business leaders, or the absurdity of leftist positions. As he rose in his organization, and became a public spokesperson for his organization, I warned him some people with influence over his career would use his exercise of free speech to hurt him. Recently he was terminated, despite stellar performance over a 35 years career, after writing a factually true letter criticizing a power liberal lawmaker. The CEO of his company, a Democrat, determined his controversial expressions of personal opinions in public reflected poorly on the company. He lives in a right to work state so there is no legal basis for contesting his firing for political reasons. He exercised free speech and can continue to exercise free speech. His employer has the legal ability to fire for his public utterances and chose to do so. The Constitution protects only our right to speak. It does not protect us from the consequences of public speech.
It’s already happened and everyone willfully ignored when Steve Scalise was lucky enough to survive.
It will happen again... And again. Until Republicans grow spines.
Related to Raul and Fidel?
Further, we are still fifteen months out from the election. What further ... I wouldn't call this a dirty trick. It's worse than a dirty trick. It's criminal. What else are the Dems going to do?!
EXACTLY!
This means the AWAN case is re-opening, this is flak fire against that bomb about to drop on their heads: Castros were among the nexus of Awan spying on fully ONE HALF of RAT house members. And some Republicans, retiring ones.
Just as many if not more will give their business to these people and companies because of this.
Castro-an appropriate name for a police state tyrant.
Yeah, a Jew from Brooklyn. He was great as Calvera in The Magnificent Seven too.
Damn. They're all communists.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/19/ex-congressional-aide-gets-4-years-in-prison-for-doxxing-gop-senators/
Castro is a domestic terrorist. Barr needs to prosecute his ass.
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