Monday on CNN’s “New Day,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) said he “supports” Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) calling on the public to “harass” members of the Trump administration.
Partial transcript as follows:
BERMAN: Are you comfortable with that, telling members of the administration they’re not welcome?
ESPAILLAT: I love Aunty Maxine. She is a great member of Congress and a great woman. I think we should not be trapped into these side storms about whether or not people get angry at you at a restaurant, at a store. I have constituencies, some of them love me and some of them don’t like me that much. That’s what the nature of public service is. To get sidetracked into this debate about whether someone was welcome at a restaurant takes our eyes off what’s going on in America.
BERMAN: We are laser focused on the 2,000 kids and have been focused on them a great deal. I’m just asking are you comfortable with what Maxine Waters just said?
ESPAILLAT: I love Maxine Waters. I don’t think the debate should become an episode of the apprentice. We should focus on the issues happening to these kids at the border. The cuts that are coming after we pass this tax scam going to hurt Medicare and Medicaid. Those are the real issues of the American people Maxine Waters is entitled to her opinion and I respect that.
BERMAN: Do you wish she hadn’t said it?
ESPAILLAT: No. She has the right to say what she feels, and I support it.
BERMAN: Thank you so much.
(h/t Grabien)
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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