Angry Leo Berman Tells Chinese American Lawyer To Go Back To China And “Kiss My Ass”
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 19, 2009 in 81st Texas Legislature, Featured ![[Post to Twitter]](/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
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State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) yesterday told a Chinese-American lawyer from Dallas to “go home” (presumably back to China) and instructed the attorney to kiss his ass following a panel discussion relating to a bill Berman introduced this session to relocate illegal immigrants to “sanctuary cities.”
The Dallas Morning News has more:
The confrontation followed a panel discussion on the issue, where Berman, R-Tyler, spoke about his bill to relocate illegal immigrants to “sanctuary cities,” where law officers are instructed not to ask people they encounter about their immigration status.
Harry Joe, who practices immigration law with the Winstead law firm, approached Berman afterwards, and the discussion soon turned angry.
Joe acknowledged calling Berman “despicable” and “an evil man,” and Berman countered with the “go home” remark and told Joe that he could “kiss my [expletive].”
The argument was overheard by a reporter and several spectators.
Joe later apologized for his remarks, but Berman declined to comment further.
“I’m not saying anything about it,” Berman said. “This was a private discussion, and I do not owe him an apology, not after what he said to me.”
Berman has helped author eight bills aimed at illegal immigrants, including provisions to challenge birthright citizenship, bar illegal immigrants from public universities and tax money orders sent between Texas and Mexico.
The exchange focused on a provision that would require all illegal immigrants to relocate to self-designated “sanctuary cities.”
Berman said the bill was intended to “send a message” to cities across the state, a message that Joe called spiteful. Joe said that the proposal, which Berman said he recently withdrew, “looked like a bill the Nazis would have passed.”
Joe said he regretted his emotional outburst but believed that Berman’s response was racially motivated.
“I’ve had racial remarks thrown at me all my life,” Joe said.
This is unsurprising. Remember that Berman delivered a hate-filled personal privilege speech in 2007 railing against immigrants. He should be censured by the House for his conduct yesterday.
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[...] can read the entire story at the Dallas Morning News. As usual, Capitol Annex has a good write up as [...]
[...] our State Legislature not taking action against State Representative Leo Berman (Racist-Tyler) for telling an Asian American Attorney to “Go Home!” and “Kiss my ass!”. The kiss my ass statement is more like the language of the [...]