[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2015
                         THE MOST WANTED POSTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. (Mr. McInnis). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton] is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, recently certain elements of the 
Republican Party published a so-called ``Wanted'' poster, wherein 
twenty-eight Democratic Members of Congress were identified as targets.
  This callous, insensitive, and abhorrent act is offensive, repulsive, 
and ugly.
  I take this opportunity to use these strong terms because the 
``Wanted'' poster targeted a particular group of Members.
  Twenty-two of the twenty-eight Democrats are African-American, 
Hispanic, Jewish or female.
  Apart from those classes of individuals, there was no other rhyme, 
reason or rational relationship to reasonably put these Members in a 
group--refer to them as ``Wanted''--and lace the poster with language 
such as aiding and abetting--suggesting that these public servants 
should be associated with criminal allegations.
  I was not on the list, Mr. Speaker, but this act was insulting to me 
as an American and should be insulting to every American who favors 
freedom, democracy and the way we function as a Government and as a 
people.
  More than an affront, this act was a very sad deed.
  Congressman Paxon claimed that the faces on the ``Wanted'' poster 
were chosen because of their voting records.
  Another spokesperson claimed that the faces were chosen because of 
their geographic location.
  Still another spokesperson claimed the faces were chosen because they 
were from areas deemed winnable by Republican strategists.
  The fact is that it would appear that little or no thought was given 
to this disgusting act.
  Perhaps this act was driven by the same attitude that created Willie 
Horton during a recent Presidential campaign.
  The fact is that among the faces on the ``Wanted'' poster are 
African-Americans, Hispanics, Jewish Americans and women who won their 
last elections with as much as three-fourths of the vote in their 
districts.
  Few of the faces represent districts that could even remotely be 
considered politically vulnerable.
  This poster appealed to the worse kind of sentiment we can imagine. 
It appealed to emotions that brought us bull dogs and billy clubs in 
past years.
  And, it appealed to emotions that have brought us Oklahoma City and 
those organized band of thugs whose purpose is to deny to some the 
rights that they demand for themselves.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, these are strong words that I use--words that I 
do not ordinarily use on the floor of the House.
  But, unless we speak out against this kind of dangerous and demeaning 
act, none of us will be able to enjoy the fruits of this democracy.
  I condemn this condemnable act in the strongest of terms.
  

                          ____________________