The incumbent in #LA03 posted this appalling threat this evening — we will have a formal statement in the morning.

In the meantime, we call upon the Republican congressional delegation in Lousiana to condemn this reckless statement by @RepClayHiggins - @SteveScalise @GOPLeader

I am requesting @RepTedDeutch chair of the House ethics committee to open an immediate investigation into @RepClayHiggins' threats of deadly force against the peaceful protests in Lafayette. This kind of talk fosters violence when we should be working together to stop it.

I am calling on chairs @BennieGThompson and @RepMikeRogersAL to strip @RepClayHiggins of his seat on the Homeland Sec. Comm and ask member @CedricRichmond to join in this call.

No one who incites violence against fellow citizens should be in charge of their security.

I am calling on @SteveScalise @garretgraves @RepMikeJohnson @RepAbraham & @CedricRichmond to condemn @RepClayHiggins for his reckless and irresponsible calls for murder and insurrection. Words like these simply cannot be left to fester and inspire those who will act on them.

Formal statement:

After seeing Congressman Higgins relegated to the sidelines during President Trump's visit over the weekend to survey the damage of Hurricane Laura, many of us feared he would feel the need to make some sort of gesture to save face.

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Unfortunately, Clay and many leaders like him these days are less concerned with the safety and well-being of those they represent and far more concerned with their image. This is but one reason why people are looking for new leadership.
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Leadership that puts people over personal vanity and solutions over bombast.

It's not like Congressman Higgins has not said stuff like this before. His dismissal from the St. Landry Sheriff's department in 2016 was a direct result of similar threats against a group of
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young Black teenagers whom he called "animals" to be "hunted." That after these comments Mr. Higgins got scared and asked for more body armor and to take the markings off his truck belies his tough talk and posturing. People who know Clay know that when he says stuff like this
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that it is little more than the cry for attention from a man-child, one who has never faced an actual moment like those which he fantasizes about. And one who, if he found himself in such a situation, would no doubt crumble before it.

With that said, this man-child also
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happens to be a sitting member of Congress. And no elected official in this nation in any office should be responsible for drumming up violence where there is no violence. To do so is literally to break the oath he took to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution.
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What is worse, that while Congressman Higgins is nothing more than a cartoon of a so-called "tough guy" those who listen to him and follow him are perhaps not so silly. What Congressman Higgins has done with his words inciting violence is to rally those who believe his words
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to arm themselves and come into our district looking for war. This is absolutely the most reckless, negligent, and irresponsible thing a public official could do. If he had a shred of dignity, he would resign.

Be assured, we have notified local, state, and federal law
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enforcement of the Congressman's threat and attempt to incite violence. We have also notified both House Democratic and Republican leadership in hopes that swift disciplinary action will deter other electeds from following his vile example.

But let me make one thing clear.
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Good, honest, decent Americans do not live to go out shooting other Americans. We do not want more violence. We want no violence. We do not glorify violence the way Mr. Higgins does and we do not see violent rhetoric as a substitute for genuine character. We do not want
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our children learning that making gross threats of “gunning down people without spilling their beer” is more admirable than honest dialogue and a legitimate attempt to bridge our divides. 

Clay Higgins obviously never learned what it means to be a real man. That it means
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restraint in the face of incitement. Measured words over hyperbole. Real effort instead of the laziness of popping off some Facebook post. 

It is my hope that Mr. Higgins' words will be roundly rebuked and condemned by members of both parties. Hopefully this can be the
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Start for free Americans from all walks of life to come together in the enduring mission to create a more perfect union.

That is why I am running for Congress.
Not to posture: to produce. Not to sound tough: to do the tough work that our district, state, & country needs doing.