U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler places a hand on her two-month-old daughter Isana Beutler while reading to children at the Camas Public Library July 30. The night before she held a telephone town hall.
U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler has a problem with some of what President Donald Trump has been saying, though she doesn’t want to take part in any further “mudslinging” regarding the commander-in-chief’s comments.
Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, addressed recent comments from Trump during a telephone town hall she hosted July 29. During the event, the congresswoman touched on the usual topics of healthcare, immigration and tax legislation, though one question from a constituent spurred her to talk about her stance on what the president has been saying with regard to some members of Congress.
The discussion was specifically in regards to tweets Trump sent out earlier in the month targeted at a few new members of Congress, stating the individuals should “go back” to the countries their ancestors came from if they had problems with current U.S. policy.
Herrera Beutler’s comments were spurred on by a question from Martin in Ocean Park, who asked the Congresswoman how she would work to “tone down” the president’s comments regarding race. Though she said she had strong opinions, she explained that she had worked hard to keep a respectful tone.
“I don’t condone how the president can communicate. I don’t like it. It bothers me,” Herrera Beutler remarked. While others have made public statements against Trump, she said she wanted to lead by example. She referenced a resolution that was presented before Congress condemning Trump’s comments, which she felt contained “incendiary” language that didn’t work to solve the issues at hand.
Herrera Beutler said she sent a letter to Trump explaining her view on the situation.
“These are Americans,” Herrera Beutler remarked. “I disagree with them on policy, too, but let’s find a better way to do this.”
Herrera Beutler acknowledged that her stance against Trump’s language might not do much to sway the president’s understanding.
“I don’t know that any kind of chastisement that I give to anybody is going to change them,” Herrera Beutler said, “but I think if I can lead in a way that reflects that I value all of us, regardless of whether we agree on policy, I think that I can make that difference.”
“I think you can’t remain silent,” Herrera Beutler remarked. She said she felt that on both sides of the debate “everybody has been childish enough.”
“We can disagree vigorously, but we don’t need to do it in a way that demeans and demoralizes,” Herrera Beutler remarked.
