Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) took to the House floor tonight to call on Republicans to “distance” themselves from the ugly epithets allegedly yelled at minority members of Congress by anti-health care reform protesters gathered on Capitol Hill today.
Ryan called on Republican pols who addressed today’s anti-reform rally to “come out and condemn” the protesters for their alleged slurs against black members and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), who is openly gay.
“This behavior is irresponsible it does not belong in a civilized society,” Ryan said of the protests. Video after the jump.
Ryan seemed visibly upset by the allegations, but he didn’t refrain from using a questionable phrase himself to describe the protesters.
“I wanted to come to the floor today after hearing about experiencing and reading some of the reports about what happened here today in the nation’s capitol to some of the finest servants that this institution has ever seen by some of these tea bagger protesters who have been out today,” he said.
Ryan said that that it was now up to the Republicans to condemn what was said.
“We call on the Republicans to say ‘shame on you’ to that kind of behavior,” he said.
Check out the video, posted to YouTube by Ryan’s office tonight:
