Racial slur charge costs Democratic lawmaker committee seat

[TexasTowelie]

Community activists and people of color are denouncing a state lawmaker they once considered an ally but who now stands accused of intimidating a young Black man and endangering his life.

Rep. Nicole Klein-Knight, D-Manchester, was removed from the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on Monday at the request of Democratic leaders after a dozen Black, brown and Indigenous community organizers issued a letter condemning her.

The group said that Klein-Knight had worked with many of the signers in the past, but that her behavior in recent months has become alarming and “increasingly dangerous,” culminating in an episode at the Statehouse this month.

According to the letter, Klein-Knight accosted a young Black organizer after he testified on a bill, using a racial slur multiple times to make her point. Though the slur wasn’t directed at the young man, she continued to use it after he asked her to stop, and she later called security, according to the letter.

Read more: https://www.concordmonitor.com/Racial-slur-charge-costs-Democratic-lawmaker-committee-seat-44851867

[PortTack]

1. If true, then she should lose her committee seat

[Tesha]

2. The truth is much more complicated

The Legislator had spent the previous two weeks trying to help another Rep who had repeated a comment concerning the Palestinian/Israel conflict, as English wasn’t that Rep’s first language she had no idea it would be offensive to her Jewish fellow caucus members. The conflict with the group of activists grew and they harassed her in the State House and on social media. After one Hearing a young activist yelled the n word at her over 20 times and chased her down the corridor filming her. I do not know why she said it but everyone agrees that she didn’t call anyone the n word, but at this time anyone who asks for clarity is called racist. It is ugly. It feels so artificial and almost as if it is to feed the Republicans red meat.

As I said, really complicated.