Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) blamed a staffer for a homophobic post that drew widespread condemnation, even from his own party.
The Tennessee Republican’s account wished followers a “Happy Nuclear Family Month” a day after Pride Month began, and added that “homosexuality has no place in America,” but he deleted the post after Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and former GOP congressman George Santos, who is openly gay, called him out.
“Homosexuality exists. In America,” Lawler posted on X. “In fact Andy, you have family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and constituents who are gay and lesbian. It doesn’t make them less than or somehow unworthy of being an American.”
Ogles later posted on his account that he had been away from his office when a staffer made the post, but he did not apologize.
“Earlier today while working on the farm, my phone began going crazy because of a post made by a member of my comms team,” Ogles posted. “The post was stupid, hurtful and a complete distraction from my America First focus. The employee has been reprimanded.”
Other social media users expressed doubts and told Ogles, who has been widely criticized for similar social media posts about Muslims, that he seemed to be missing the bigger point.
“You have a staffer who thinks gay people shouldn’t be allowed to exist,” pointed out political scientist Rachel Bitecofer.
“Everyone knows you posted it, you bigoted f—,” seethed the Blue Georgia account.
“This is not an apology,” added Democratic activist Seth Taylor. “You called the post ‘stupid’ and ‘hurtful,’ but you still haven’t said the one thing that matters: gay Americans have a place in America. Whether you wrote it or your staff wrote it, it came from your official account. Own it, apologize clearly, and say gay Tennesseans belong here too.”
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