A Florida commissioner who suggested that Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) might “blow up Capitol hill” was publicly reprimanded by her colleagues during a Wednesday night meeting.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Hallandale Beach Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub’s recent comments were the subject of a Wednesday night meeting, where her colleagues voted to issue a public reprimand. They accused Lima-Taub of promoting bigotry, fueling hatred and creating a hostile environment for Muslims, the Sun Sentinel reports.
Lima-Taub, however, argued that she never once “mentioned Muslim or Islam,” and suggested that media in attendance were contributing to her “demise.”
“I never ever mentioned Muslim or Islam. I repeat, I never ever mentioned Muslim or Islam. I do not hate or discriminate against any group, including Islam,” she said Wednesday, and revealed that she was receiving numerous death threats over her comments.
Protesters on both sides of the debate showed up to Wednesday night’s meeting, causing multiple recesses throughout the meeting. The Sun Sentinel reports that more than 200 people gathered outside the meeting space in support of Lima-Taub.
“She’s a patriot,” one protester said. “We live in a democracy and what’s happening today with her own peers is not a democracy.”
But another group of protesters was demanding that Lima-Taub immediately “apologize” and “resign.”
“You have activated a dark side,” Rasha Mubarak, a member of the Florida Young Democrats, told Lima-Taub during the meeting. “Commissioner, we are living in dark times in this country. This kind of rhetoric, not only is it divisive, but it is pure violence.”
Lima-Taub was supported by Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Adams, who defended her First Amendment rights.
“The comment she made was on her own Facebook page. It never should have escalated the way that it did and been put out there by the newspaper. We all have a right to say what we have to say,” Adams said.
Adams and Lima-Taub cast the only dissenting votes against approving the reprimand, which was cleared in a 3-2 vote.
– – –
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
