Tlaib Dials Back Meadows Criticism, Says She Meant ‘No Disrespect’ To Patton

During an interview with CNN Thursday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) clarified her stance on Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) decision to parade Lynne Patton — an African American HUD official — in front of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday to attempt to show President Trump isn’t racist.

“I apologized if it made him feel like I was calling him a racist,” she said, adding that she she thinks there was “a better way of doing that.” During her time questioning Michael Cohen on Wednesday, Tlaib accused Meadows of racism over the move. Meadows responded to Tlaib’s criticism in front of the committee by calling her insinuation racist and listing the names of black people in his life.

Tlaib eventually apologized to Meadows on Wednesday, clarifying that she thought using Patton as a prop was “racist,” not that he himself was a racist.

“I want (Patton) to know it was no disrespect to her at all. I think she should be commended for her extreme leadership, for her work in the HUD organization, the administration,” she said. “But I think for many of us if we want to talk about race in this country, want to talk about some of the actions by this President, as a Muslim-American in this country, I know what he said about Muslims … That was not the way I think my colleagues should have been able to debate that issue whether or not to even disagree with Mr. Cohen. I think there was a better way of doing that.”

Tlaib says she meant "no disrespect" toward Patton pic.twitter.com/L5R9cVTjqk

— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) February 28, 2019