GOP rep: Dems’ State of the Union response not ‘treasonous,’ but ‘embarrassing’

A GOP lawmaker rebuked Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday for their actions during President Trump’s State of the Union address last week, stopping short of repeating Trump’s claims that the actions were “treasonous” but remarking that it was “embarrassing” for the party.

Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) on CNN’s “New Day” Tuesday said that congressional Democrats were “sitting on their hands” refusing to applaud for the president during his speech, something that Collins said came off as a performance.

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“You know, when [Rep. Luis] Gutiérrez [D-Ill.] stood up when the president said we should stand and respect our flag, the pledge of allegiances, the national anthem, and those of us Republicans stood and cheered and started shouting ‘USA, USA,’ and Gutiérrez storms out of the chamber, I think that says it all when it comes to the Democratic response.”

“They were stoic, sitting on their hands. They did not want to applaud at any turn, other than Joe Manchin; Joe Manchin was applauding every which way right with the Republicans and we all know why,” Collins added, referring to the Democratic West Virginia senator who is running for reelection in a very red state.

“I wouldn’t use the word ‘treasonous’ but boy, was it embarrassing,” Collins added.

Collin’s comments came after the president remarked at a speech in Ohio on Monday that Democrats engaged in “treasonous” behavior by refusing to cheer his State of the Union speech last week.

“Can we call that treason? Why not?” Trump said. “They certainly didn’t seem to love our country very much.”

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said Tuesday that the president’s words were “tongue-in-cheek,” and that the White House does not believe the actions of the lawmakers were actually treasonous.