WASHINGTON — Consultant Doug Collins of Georgia apologized on Friday for accusing Democrats of being “in love with terrorists,” a declare he hurled
WASHINGTON — Consultant Doug Collins of Georgia apologized on Friday for accusing Democrats of being “in love with terrorists,” a declare he hurled throughout a bitterly partisan dispute over whether or not to curtail President Trump’s war-making energy in Iran.
“Let me be clear: I don’t consider Democrats are in love with terrorists, and I apologize for what I mentioned earlier this week,” Mr. Collins, the highest Republican on the Judiciary Committee, wrote on Twitter.
Mr. Collins, a strident ally of the president and a number one power in his impeachment protection within the Home, made the remarks in a tv interview this week because the Home was getting ready to debate a Democratic-led resolution to force Mr. Trump to go to Congress for authorization earlier than taking additional navy motion in opposition to Iran.
“Nancy Pelosi does it once more, and her Democrats fall proper in line,” Mr. Collins informed the TV host Lou Dobbs of Fox Enterprise Community on Wednesday night time. “One, they’re in love with terrorists, we see that. They mourn Suleimani greater than they mourn our Gold Star households who’re those who suffered beneath Suleimani. That’s an issue.”
He was referring to Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s high safety commander, who was killed in a drone strike ordered final week by Mr. Trump, escalating tensions and elevating questions on Capitol Hill about whether or not the president was marching towards a battle with out consulting Congress.
Mr. Collins’s feedback drew an on the spot backlash from Democrats. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a fight veteran who misplaced each legs serving in Iraq, mentioned she was “disgusted” by the accusation.
“I left components of my physique in Iraq preventing terrorists,” Ms. Duckworth mentioned on CNN. “I don’t have to justify myself to anybody.”
Mr. Collins incendiary remarks had been a extra fiery model of the message that members of Mr. Trump’s nationwide safety staff had delivered behind closed doorways after they briefed lawmakers this week on the strike on Common Suleimani on Capitol Hill.
In accordance with attendees, the officers, together with Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, and Mark T. Esper, the secretary of protection, cautioned them in opposition to questioning the president’s judgment on Iran, arguing it might embolden the Iranians. Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, was infuriated by the assertion, calling it “insulting and demeaning,” and later telling reporters that it had prompted him to assist a Senate proposal much like the battle powers decision the Home voted on this week.
The Home authorised that decision on Thursday largely alongside occasion strains, however not earlier than an acrimonious debate through which Democratic leaders repeatedly interjected to remind lawmakers to not query every others’ patriotism.
Mr. Trump set the tone for Republicans early within the day, claiming that Democrats had been successfully supporting Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s high safety commander, who was killed final week in a drone strike he approved, by elevating issues about his actions.
“Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats wished to defend him,” Mr. Trump mentioned, even supposing neither had finished so. “I feel that’s a really dangerous factor for this nation.”
Earlier on Thursday, Ms. Pelosi made some extent of insisting that Common Suleimani was a “horrible individual.”
In his apology the subsequent day, Mr. Collins cited his personal service in Iraq in 2008, as a chaplain within the Air Pressure Reserve, saying that he had “witnessed firsthand the brutal demise of numerous troopers who had been torn to shreds by this vicious terrorist.”
“These photographs will reside with me for the remainder of my life,” he mentioned, “however that doesn’t excuse my response on Wednesday night.”