Republicans Condemn Congressman Who Used A Shocking Racial Slur To Describe Latinos
In an interview with local radio station KRBD, Young lamented the amount of "automation" that has come to dominate American manufacturing.
"My father had a ranch; we used to have 50-60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes," he told the radio station. "It takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It’s all done by machine."
The comment was quickly condemned Friday morning by Republican leaders and members of Congress, including House Speaker John Boehner and Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus.
Young's comment comes at a time when the Republican Party is in the midst of an effort to reach out to demographics that voted in large numbers for Democrats in the 2012 election, including the Latino community.
In response to a call from Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-Texas), the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Boehner issued a statement condemning Young's remarks.
“Congressman Young’s remarks were offensive and beneath the dignity of the office he holds," Boehner said in a statement released by his office. "I don’t care why he said it – there’s no excuse and it warrants an immediate apology.”
Priebus, who issued the party's so-called "autopsy report" that encouraged a rebranding, said in a statement that Young's statement was "offensive."
"The words used by Representative Young emphatically do not represent the beliefs of the Republican Party," Priebus said. "As I have continued to say, everyone in this country deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Our party represents freedom and opportunity for every American and a beacon of hope to those seeking liberty throughout the world. Offensive language and ethnic slurs have no place in our public discourse."
After the comment began drawing scrutiny late Thursday night, Young's office released a statement saying he "meant no disrespect" by using the term.
"During a sit-down interview with Ketchikan Public Radio this week, I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in Central California," Young said in the statement. "I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays, and I meant no disrespect."
He went on to praise the role migrant workers have in the economy, and added that "America must once and for all tackle the issue of immigration reform."
Young has been Alaska's only Congressman since 1973, and he is currently facing an ethics investigation on allegations of improperly accepting gifts.
Here's audio of Young's comments:
This post has been updated.