Rep. Mike Kelly Saturday continued to argue about Rep. Maxine Waters' claims on the House floor that the automotive industry discriminates against women and people of color.
“We’re talking about thousands and thousands of auto dealers and millions of people who work in the industry, and making a broad statement that these are people who discriminate against non-white buyers,” Kelly, R-Pennsylvania, told Fox Business’ Neil Cavuto Saturday.
“This is absolutely preposterous.”
Kelly and Waters, D-California, sparred on the House floor on Friday, just before a vote on repealing legislation that prevents automobile dealers from discriminating against consumers.
Waters cited a study that showed that people of color are often discriminated against while trying to get car loans, and added that the study should have included women as well, because the auto industry thinks "women are stupid, don’t know how to negotiate a loan, and women have been taken advantage of too.”
Kelly's family has been in the auto-dealership business for 65 years, and accused Waters of insulting the "integrity" of people in the industry. Eventually, the sparring grew to include President Donald Trump and discrimination. Kelly also said Waters was being divisive by bringing up the topics of race and gender discrimination.
“I want you to know that I am more offended as an African-American woman than you will ever be,” Waters told him Friday. "This business about making America great again: It is your president that’s dividing this country.”
Saturday, Kelly refused to back down, calling Waters' comments "incredibly divisive."
“It’s not who we are as a country, and if we continue down this path, this cancer that’s working its way through our society and breaking us down as a people," he told Cavuto. "You can’t talk that way.”
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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