Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) questioned whether Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) is loyal to the U.S. and suggested that she should not have a security clearance or access to classified briefings.
Gooden made the comment during an interview with Fox News on Wednesday while criticizing Chu for defending Dominic Ng, President Biden’s pick to lead U.S. trade interests in Asia. A conservative media outlet published an article alleging that Ng has ties to a Chinese Communist Party front group, according to NBC.
“I think that Judy Chu needs to be called out,” Gooden said in the interview. “I question her either loyalty or competence. If she doesn’t realize what’s going on, then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies. I’m really disappointed and shocked that someone like Judy Chu would have a security clearance and entitled to confidential intelligence briefings until this is figured out.”
Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, issued a statement on Thursday calling Gooden’s comments “outrageous” and “racist.”
“Rep. Gooden’s comments on Fox News questioning my loyalty to the USA is absolutely outrageous,” said Chu. “It is based on false information spread by an extreme, right-wing website. Furthermore, it is racist. I very much doubt that he would be spreading these lies were I not of Chinese American descent.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also blasted Gooden for his comments.
“Dr. Judy Chu is a hardworking, patriotic American public servant who is an important part of the gorgeous mosaic of our diverse country,” Jeffries said. “Gooden’s slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic.”
Despite criticism, Gooden doubled down in an email to The Hill, this time accusing both Chu and Jeffries of being disloyal.
“Rather than following facts that indicate the presence of Chinese espionage, Chu and Jeffries are playing the race card in a sick display of disloyalty to our nation,” Gooden said.
