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Racism

Public disputes concerning racism, racial stereotypes, discrimination, and alleged unequal treatment based on race.

Related cases

Case

Laura Loomer’s remarks about Angie Nixon and other Black women in politics

Laura Loomer described Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon and four other prominent Black women using the word “ghetto” and a gendered slur, said the stereotype exists, and later defended the wording as an accurate description of Nixon’s conduct, race, and ideology. Nixon and political figures and commentators across party lines called the remarks racist, sexist, degrading, offensive, or vile. The dispute concerns whether Loomer’s stated political criticism can be separated from the racial and gender stereotypes used in the original and follow-up statements.

Case

Cea Weaver’s “impoverish the white middle class” and homeownership remarks

A deleted November 2018 post attributed to New York City tenant official Cea Weaver said, “Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist / failed public policy.” The wording resurfaced after Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed Weaver to lead the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. Critics called the language racist, extreme, or disqualifying; defenders emphasized Weaver’s tenant-advocacy record and argued that the backlash served real-estate interests. Weaver expressed regret for some old wording without specifically retracting this sentence.

Statements

Michelle Tandler

Role at the time: Writer and podcaster commenting in a personal capacity on housing policy

Condemned

Responding to

Cea Weaver’s “impoverish the white middle class” and homeownership remarks

"what happens when the state tries to disarm that weapon? We are about to find out."
Why we used this label

She invokes Weaver by name and rejects the framing and policies she associates with it; the post is criticism of the broader housing rhetoric rather than a separate response to the 2018 imperative.

Travis Akers

Role at the time: Political commentator, educator, and retired Navy officer speaking personally

Condemned

Responding to

Laura Loomer’s remarks about Angie Nixon and other Black women in politics

"deeply racist insults"
Why we used this label

He directly characterizes the disputed attacks as racist while expressing support for their target.

LaMonica McIver

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Laura Loomer is just as stupid as she is racist, and her comments are disgusting."
Why we used this label

Direct public condemnation.

Stephen A. Smith

Role at the time: Media commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Laura Loomer’s comments about Black women in politics were highly offensive. Period. I’m calling it out!"
Why we used this label

Unambiguous public rejection of the comments.

Johnny Olszewski

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"What Laura Loomer said was disgusting. It was vile."
Why we used this label

Direct condemnation by an elected official.

Audie Cornish

Role at the time: CNN anchor and journalist

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"It’s depressing for me to wake up and see something like that."
Why we used this label

Editorial condemnation grounded in the treatment of Black women.

Ro Khanna

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Now Laura Loomer is attacking her with virulent racism."
Why we used this label

Explicit condemnation by an elected official.

Abby Phillip

Role at the time: CNN host and journalist

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Loomer is facing backlash for dropping these racist attacks."
Why we used this label

Editorial characterization by the host rather than an official political statement.

Leigh McGowan

Role at the time: Political commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"That’s straight up racism."
Why we used this label

Direct and unqualified characterization.

Noah Rothman

Role at the time: Conservative writer and commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Those are vile comments. A long history of similar vile comments. She deserves to be cast out."
Why we used this label

Explicit conservative condemnation.

Isaiah Martin

Role at the time: Democratic activist and commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Trump absolutely should go and disown Laura Loomer."
Why we used this label

Direct call for repudiation.

Shermichael Singleton

Role at the time: Republican strategist and CNN commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"What Laura Loomer said is despicable. It doesn’t stand for the party."
Why we used this label

Explicit conservative condemnation and party distancing.

Charlamagne tha God

Role at the time: Radio host and commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"You stopped making a political argument and you’re just being racist."
Why we used this label

Directly characterizes the attack as racist.

Rashida Tlaib

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

The absence of comparable Republican condemnation reflects a political double standard in reactions to inflammatory online figures.

"I’m going to check to see if you said anything about Laura Loomer calling a Black woman running for Senate…"
Why we used this label

The statement treats Loomer’s conduct as condemnable and principally advances a consistency argument.

Ben Crump

Role at the time: Civil-rights attorney

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Black women should NEVER have to endure such hateful and degrading rhetoric for daring to lead."
Why we used this label

Expressly calls the rhetoric hateful and degrading.

Wes Moore

Role at the time: Governor of Maryland

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"You attack and insult Black women because you believe peddling racism is good for your clicks and your business model."
Why we used this label

Explicit characterization as racism and a call to condemn.

Hakeem Jeffries

Role at the time: House Democratic leader

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Laura Loomer is a stone-cold racist, pathological liar and nutjob."
Why we used this label

Explicit party-leadership condemnation.

Angie Nixon

Role at the time: Target of the remarks and Florida Democratic Senate nominee

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"While Loomer throws racist tantrums, Floridians are struggling to afford groceries, housing, healthcare, and childcare."
Why we used this label

The target expressly applies the term racist to Loomer’s attacks.

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Role at the time: Former Republican member of Congress

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"I 1000% denounce Laura Loomer and her nasty, hateful, racists comments."
Why we used this label

Explicit cross-partisan denunciation.

Bill Maher

Role at the time: Comedian and television host

Condemned

Responding to

On November 19, 2018, Cea Weaver posted: “Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist / failed public policy.”

"What? That’s a goal? You know you’re supposed to scare people into voting for you, right?"
Why we used this label

His rhetorical questions communicate direct rejection of the stated goal.

Bill Maher monologue on Cea Weaver and the Democratic Party (opens in a new tab) - Bill MaherMonologue passage reading Weaver’s post

Matt Walsh

Role at the time: Political commentator and podcast host

Condemned

Responding to

On November 19, 2018, Cea Weaver posted: “Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist / failed public policy.”

"They’re going to impoverish the white middle class. The white middle class, specifically."
Why we used this label

The episode’s framing and commentary clearly reject Weaver’s language and associate it with broader racial hostility.

Oliver Traldi

Role at the time: Philosopher and writer

Condemned

Responding to

On November 19, 2018, Cea Weaver posted: “Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist / failed public policy.”

"I dislike the attitudes expressed in these posts. I even think they’re racist."
Why we used this label

His explicit judgment is condemnation; the broader cultural explanation does not excuse Weaver’s wording.

Albert Mohler

Role at the time: Theologian, seminary president, and podcast host

Condemned

Responding to

Weaver later described private property, especially homeownership, as a weapon of white supremacy presented as wealth-building policy.

"It is hard to imagine a position more extreme."
Why we used this label

The segment explicitly rejects Weaver’s worldview and compares it to revolutionary communism.

Andrew Kolvet

Role at the time: Political media host and Turning Point USA spokesperson

Condemned

Responding to

On November 19, 2018, Cea Weaver posted: “Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist / failed public policy.”

"There’s a lot of these crazies out there, and now they’re getting into positions of power, which is terrifying."
Why we used this label

He read the disputed post and closed the segment with an unmistakably adverse assessment.

Older statements

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