Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro is defending his tweet listing dozens of San Antonio business owners who are major contributors to President Donald Trump’s 2020 election campaign.
Castro, who represents the San Antonio region in Congress, reposted a list of Trump campaign contributors first published by a local chapter of the non-profit progressive group, Indivisible.
Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump — the owner of @BillMillerBarBQ, owner of the @HistoricPearl, realtor Phyllis Browning, etc.
— Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) August 6, 2019
Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as ‘invaders.’ pic.twitter.com/YT85IBF19u
“This graphic was actually circulating the internet and I shared it because I was just so astounded that these folks from San Antonio being in the city that we’re in would decide to give so much money to someone who has been so anti-Hispanic,” Castro said.
Castro has faced criticism since he reposted the list. Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Twitter called the list a “shameful and dangerous way to target Americans because of their political beliefs.”
Targeting and harassing Americans because of their political beliefs is shameful and dangerous. What happened to “when they go low, we go high?” Or does that no longer matter when your brother is polling at 1%? Americans deserve better. https://t.co/PiFcifpxc1
— Kevin McCarthy (@kevinomccarthy) August 6, 2019
Castro said he only published information that was already publicly available.
Ryan Poppe can be reached at RPoppe@TPR.org and on Twitter at @RyanPoppe1.
