Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), twin brother of Democrat presidential candidate Julián Castro, took to Twitter Monday and posted the names and employers of dozens of individuals – residing in his own San Antonio district – who contributed the maximum amount to President Trump’s re-election campaign.
Castro, who serves as the chair of his brother’s presidential campaign, allegedly posted the names of 44 San Antonio residents who donated the maximum amount to Trump’s re-election campaign in what appears to be an attempt to shame them.
“Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump,” Castro wrote in a tweet posted to his unverified campaign account, before listing the names of some of the specific donors and accusing them of “fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as ‘invaders.'”
Breitbart News reached out to Joaquin Castro’s team to confirm that the unverified campaign account is, in fact, operated by the congressman but did not receive a comment. However, Breitbart News can conclude that it is his campaign’s account, as it was listed in an archived version of his congressional campaign page.
Additionally, Julián Castro’s national press secretary, Sawyer Hackett, responded to criticism of the tweet and defended its sentiments, reaffirming that the account is indeed connected to Rep. Castro:
Dangerous? This is public information published by the FEC—information you and your colleagues have used for countless stories over the years.
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) August 6, 2019
Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh responded to Castro’s tweet, calling on him to delete it and apologize. He also urged his brother’s campaign to “disavow” Joaquin’s controversial move:
How low have Dems sunk?
This is Joaquin Castro, Congressman & chair of his brother's campaign.
Naming private citizens & their employers, targeting them for political views and exercising 1st Amendment rights.
Should delete & apologize. Castro campaign should disavow. pic.twitter.com/5MSJPBBaF0
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) August 6, 2019
“Democrats want to talk about inciting violence? This naming of private citizens and their employers is reckless and irresponsible,” Murtaugh told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “He is endangering the safety of people he is supposed to be representing.”
“Hey, media, do you think this is okay?” Murtaugh asked in a tweet.
“At the very least @Castro4Congress is inviting harassment of these private citizens,” he continued. “At worst, he’s encouraging violence. Will media concerned about “rhetoric” care about this? He’s listing people and their employers.”
“This is a target list,” he added:
Hey, media, do you think this is okay? https://t.co/O9OQJ3HBcl
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) August 6, 2019
At the very least @Castro4Congress is inviting harassment of these private citizens. At worst, he’s encouraging violence.
Will media concerned about “rhetoric” care about this?
He’s listing people and their employers.
This is a target list. pic.twitter.com/5JnNe7RxYb
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) August 6, 2019
Castro was still defending the tweet as of 6:00 p.m. ET:
First, the Indivisble@group’s graphic I shared doesn’t have private or personal info — no addresses or phone #, etc. It’s publicly reported info printed in newspapers routinely from the @nyt to the @dcexaminer. You know that. 1/ https://t.co/t6cdNckM1a
— Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) August 6, 2019
2nd, what I said is true — your campaign has stoked fear of brown-skinned immigrants. Those contributions hv been used to pay for over 2K @Facebook ads declaring an invasion by Hispanics.
That is truly dangerous for millions.
Will you commit not to run another ad like that? 2/2— Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) August 6, 2019
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