Democrat Joaquin Castro, born and raised in San Antonio, currently serves as the Representative of Texas' 20th congressional district. On Monday, Representative Castro shared a meme featuring publicly available information on 44 donors who maxed out their campaign contributions for President Donald Trump.
After an act of domestic terrorism by a White nationalist who shared the same talking points made popular in President Trump's Twitter feed and during his MAGA rallies and 2016 presidential campaign, Castro decided to share who supports and enables such rhetoric. The White nationalist terrorist targeted Hispanics and murdered 22 people and injured dozens more.
Castro posted:
"Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump — the owner of @BillMillerBarBQ, owner of the @HistoricPearl, realtor Phyllis Browning, etc."
"Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as 'invaders'."
Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump — the owner of @BillMillerBarBQ, owner of… https://t.co/cKAH3IZJYr— Joaquin Castro (@Joaquin Castro) 1565061180.0
But former Trump critic and rival turned Trump supporter, GOP Senator Ted Cruz of Texas complained of Castro's release of the publicly available information. Cruz tweeted—with the list again clearly visible:
EVERYONE needs to tone the hateful partisan rhetoric way down. This is WRONG & Castro should retract it. In our con… https://t.co/5o7GZX29Hr— Ted Cruz (@Ted Cruz) 1565127266.0
Donald Trump, Jr. even likened Castro's tweet to "the Dayton, OH shooter's list."
Donald Trump Jr. says Joaquin Castro's tweet about Trump donors "screams like the Dayton, OH shooter's list" of peo… https://t.co/2unnzxI9Pk— Bobby Lewis (@Bobby Lewis) 1565181952.0
Which echoed the Trump campaign's response, calling the tweet a "target list" that is "endangering the safety of people."
But Castro defended his decision.
In response to Cruz and other critics, he posted:
"No one was targeted or harassed in my post. You know that. All that info is routinely published."
"You’re trying to distract from the racism that has overtaken the GOP and the fact that President Trump spends donor money on thousands of ads about Hispanics “invading” America."
"Donald Trump has put a target on the back of millions. And you’re too cowardly or agreeable to say anything about it."
"How about I stop mentioning Trump’s public campaign donors and he stops using their money for ads that fuel hate?"
No one was targeted or harassed in my post. You know that. All that info is routinely published. You’re trying to… https://t.co/i5oPFXOdN5— Joaquin Castro (@Joaquin Castro) 1565136578.0
Donald Trump has put a target on the back of millions. And you’re too cowardly or agreeable to say anything about i… https://t.co/sKI5FX3AS3— Joaquin Castro (@Joaquin Castro) 1565136738.0
He continued.
First, the Indivisble@group’s graphic I shared doesn’t have private or personal info — no addresses or phone #, etc… https://t.co/uxh8ibB2Kr— Joaquin Castro (@Joaquin Castro) 1565128241.0
2nd, what I said is true — your campaign has stoked fear of brown-skinned immigrants. Those contributions hv been u… https://t.co/CdiguPDKdU— Joaquin Castro (@Joaquin Castro) 1565128629.0
Castro was far from alone in defending the choice to name Trump donors on Twitter.
Boy, it'll be really embarrassing if there were @GOP statements/tweets singling out George Soros and other high pro… https://t.co/llZVhI2k9l— Gene Wu (@Gene Wu) 1565172440.0
I hope @foxandfriends feels good about letting this silver spooned prep boy compare the release of public FEC infor… https://t.co/HEcAoU81K6— Sawyer Hackett (@Sawyer Hackett) 1565190774.0
This. Is. Our. Governor. Texas. As Tejanos grieve & hold accountable those who have enabled a white supremicist P… https://t.co/TTA9Gyc209— Gina Hinojosa (@Gina Hinojosa) 1565178541.0
If your business funds Trump’s campaign, then you are supporting white supremacy. Full stop. Look at his rallies.… https://t.co/kttuWCIRnl— Joe Scarborough (@Joe Scarborough) 1565137696.0
For those complaining about the tweet from @Castro4Congress, how do you think it makes us feel? How many Facebook a… https://t.co/0IcortNYcR— John Bustamante (@John Bustamante) 1565138911.0
@TrumpWarRoom @Castro4Congress This is a matter of public record. Anyone who donates over 200.00 to a federal campaign is often listed.— Donna Brazile (@Donna Brazile) 1565133872.0
FYI: The people upset with @Castro4Congress for posting public records about Trump supporters are REALLY trying the… https://t.co/0EOBsI3jIn— Cristela Alonzo (@Cristela Alonzo) 1565132151.0
@Castro4Congress The racist guy in the White House, is condemning a tweet from a Latino politician that listed publ… https://t.co/egkuOW2oOM— Cristela Alonzo (@Cristela Alonzo) 1565132559.0
Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist, pointed out the hypocrisy of the GOP and Trump supporters.
Wilson was named when he decided to oppose Trump.
1/ The reaction to the Castro tweets identifying Trump donors is interesting to me. when I came out against Trump,… https://t.co/wYyymvzhSe— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1565145143.0
@RickWilson/Twitter
3/ I have no truck for Castro, but what he did is no longer unprecedented. I promise you, not a single Republican w… https://t.co/Z47eqhWQhH— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1565145836.0
@RickWilson/Twitter
5/ They also seem to be ignoring an interesting conservative underpinning to this question. Being afraid of exposu… https://t.co/PB31c5k1ox— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1565146525.0
@RickWilson/Twitter
7/ Information is fungible. Donor records are symmetrical information. No one has an advantage or disadvantage in… https://t.co/SAF03DxmpK— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1565146848.0
8/ the easiest thing in the world these days for Trump types is to stoke their sense of grievance and persecution,… https://t.co/8pt9i6aTkN— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1565147044.0
9/ it's a paradox, isn't it? on the one hand you're the revolutionaries burning down The old Washington and drainin… https://t.co/jbboIBCMcV— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1565147175.0
@RickWilson/Twitter
@cristela9 @Castro4Congress Trump supporters are the biggest hypocrites and fomenters of faux-outrage. If Trump had… https://t.co/HS8KbwVa09— Cynthia Mendoza (@Cynthia Mendoza) 1565151476.0
Representative Castro is not the first to share donor information that is publicly available, although he may be the first Democrat to do so. The GOP outrage has many asking what was the saying about turnabout and fair play?
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