By Sean Mussenden
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON-Democrats on Thursday lashed out at Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., for suggesting that the Democratic Party supports "anti-American" policies.
"My colleagues on the other side don't seem to be in favor of more American energy. They seem to be anti-American energy, just as many other things that they support seem to be anti-American power and anti-American control," Foxx said of Democrats during a speech on the House floor last month.
The campaign of Foxx's Democratic challenger, Roy Carter, criticized Foxx's "anti-American" remark, which was reported by CQ Politics on Thursday.
"Her partisanship is a big deal. It will hurt her ability to get things done for this district," said Ben Salt, a spokesman for Carter.
Aaron Groen, a spokesman for Foxx, said Carter's campaign misinterpreted the comment Foxx made on September 17, during a debate on energy policy.
"She's not calling anyone anti-American. She's talking about energy policies, about American sources of energy versus foreign sources," Groen said. "She was talking about the fact that she favors policies that give Americans power over where we get our energy, control over where we get our energy."
Like many Republicans in Congress, Foxx has been an outspoken advocate for drilling for oil and natural gas off the North Carolina coast.
Two other House Republicans - Rep. Robin Hayes of North Carolina and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota - have come under fire in recent days for suggesting that liberals and Democrats hold anti-American views.
Appearing on the MSNBC show "Hardball" last week, Bachmann asked the news media to investigate which members of Congress were "pro-America" and which were "anti-America."
Warming up the crowd at a campaign rally for John McCain in Concord, N.C., last week, Hayes said "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God."
Hayes' campaign initially denied that he made the remark. After news organizations produced taped evidence of the comment, Hayes said it "came out completely the wrong way."
Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com or 202-662-7668.
"My colleagues on the other side don't seem to be in favor of more American energy. They seem to be anti-American energy, just as many other things that they support seem to be anti-American power and anti-American control," Foxx said of Democrats during a speech on the House floor last month.
The campaign of Foxx's Democratic challenger, Roy Carter, criticized Foxx's "anti-American" remark, which was reported by CQ Politics on Thursday.
"Her partisanship is a big deal. It will hurt her ability to get things done for this district," said Ben Salt, a spokesman for Carter.
Aaron Groen, a spokesman for Foxx, said Carter's campaign misinterpreted the comment Foxx made on September 17, during a debate on energy policy.
"She's not calling anyone anti-American. She's talking about energy policies, about American sources of energy versus foreign sources," Groen said. "She was talking about the fact that she favors policies that give Americans power over where we get our energy, control over where we get our energy."
Like many Republicans in Congress, Foxx has been an outspoken advocate for drilling for oil and natural gas off the North Carolina coast.
Two other House Republicans - Rep. Robin Hayes of North Carolina and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota - have come under fire in recent days for suggesting that liberals and Democrats hold anti-American views.
Appearing on the MSNBC show "Hardball" last week, Bachmann asked the news media to investigate which members of Congress were "pro-America" and which were "anti-America."
Warming up the crowd at a campaign rally for John McCain in Concord, N.C., last week, Hayes said "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God."
Hayes' campaign initially denied that he made the remark. After news organizations produced taped evidence of the comment, Hayes said it "came out completely the wrong way."
Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com or 202-662-7668.