Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) trumpeted his commitment to minority rights on Wednesday, claiming that no one in Congress can match his record on that front.
During a visit to Iowa, the junior Kentucky senator and 2016 contender told Yahoo News that he’s going to continue to do his part to lure blacks and Hispanics to a Republican Party that has been plagued by an inability to win over minority voters.
“I’m not easily dissuaded, so it’s not something that makes me shrink away, it makes me come out even stronger to say that I don’t think there’s anyone in Congress who has a stronger belief in minority rights than I do,” Paul said. “Because my conception of justice is that there have been many times in our history when we have done things unfairly to Japanese Americans, to black Americans. I still think that the justice system does not treat African Americans fairly in regard to non-violent drug crime, with regard to felonies being on your record.”
In April, Paul delivered a speech at Howard University, the historically black school located in Washington, D.C., that was notable for some awkward moments. During a question and answer session at the school, Paul denied that he’s ever signaled opposition to the Civil Rights Act, despite infamously telling Rachel Maddow in 2010 that he was against sections of the law that require private businesses to accommodate all comers.
More recently, Paul found himself taking heat when it was revealed that one of his aides has a history of a pro-secessionist activism.
