GOP Rep. Andy Ogles deletes homophobic social media post, blames staffer
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., deleted a homophobic tweet from his official congressional X account that stated, “Homosexuality has no place in America,” and blamed a staffer for posting it, issuing a reprimand to the employee.
- The post sparked bipartisan backlash, with fellow Republicans like Rep. Mike Lawler and Sen. Ted Cruz condemning the statement as offensive and inaccurate, emphasizing that LGBTQ+ individuals are part of American society.
- House leadership, including Majority Leader Steve Scalise, labeled the post inappropriate and praised Ogles for retracting it and taking action against those responsible.
- Democrats strongly criticized Ogles, calling his remarks bigoted and harmful to the LGBTQ+ community, with some highlighting his history of inflammatory statements, including a prior comment about Muslims.
- The controversy underscores ongoing tensions within and between parties regarding LGBTQ+ rights and rhetoric in American politics.