Rep. Andy Ogles is facing a censure threat over a series of social media posts made this week that include “Muslims don’t belong in American society.”
Rep. Shri Thanedar, Michigan Democrat, introduced a resolution on Thursday to censure the Tennessee Republican for “spewing hatred and bigotry toward Muslim Americans and disrespecting America’s diversity.”
Mr. Thanedar cited other Ogles comments, including a suggestion that Muslims will “breed their way through our society.”
“Congressman Ogles’ disgusting and bigoted words have no place anywhere in our country, let alone from a member of Congress,” Mr. Thanedar said in a statement. “His words incite hatred against millions of Muslim Americans. They disrespect the values of freedom of religion that our country was founded upon and are fundamentally un-American.”
Interfaith Alliance, a religious freedom and multifaith democracy advocate, decried Mr. Ogles’ comments, stating that the claim that Muslims don’t belong in American society is an “attack on the founding vision of the United States as a country free from religious persecution and government-mandated religion.”
The organization’s CEO, Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, said in a statement, “It’s sadly no longer shocking to learn that some Members of Congress hold deeply bigoted beliefs about Muslims — yet it’s still appalling and dangerous to see Rep. Ogles spread such hatred without facing consequences.”
If passed, Mr. Thanedar’s resolution would remove Mr. Ogles from the House Homeland Security Committee. But as Republicans hold the reins of the lower chamber, they also hold the power over Democrats in killing such a measure.
While numerous Democrats took to social media to condemn his comments — waved away by Mr. Ogles — he is no stranger to disputes, having faced mounting calls to resign in February after saying “the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”
His most recent comments stemmed from violent attacks Thursday in Michigan and Virginia, perpetrated by a Lebanon-born U.S. citizen and an Islamic State supporter, respectively.
In the series of anti-Muslim posts that followed, Mr. Ogles was joined by Rep. Randy Fine, Florida Republican, who said, “We need more Islamophobia, not less.”
Rep. Yassamin Ansari said Thursday that Mr. Fine’s “vile racism should have already resulted in censure.”
“I’ve asked before and I’m asking again: @SpeakerJohnson, will you reprimand Rep. Fine? Strip him of his committee assignments? Anything? Or does the Republican caucus condone racism?” the Arizona Democrat said on social media.
Rep. Robin Kelly, Illinois Democrat, echoed support to censure the Florida congressman.
Only 28 House censure measures have been successful in almost 200 years. Recently, House Republicans unsuccessfully tried to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar, Minnesota Democrat, over her criticism of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk following his assassination last year.
