Potential 2020 Democrat Tulsi Gabbard calls out party leaders for 'religious bigotry'

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) just dropped a massive subtweet.

In an op-ed published Tuesday in The Hill, Gabbard slammed politicians — and particularly Democrats — for "weaponiz[ing] religion for their own selfish gain." It was all prompted by the district court nomination of Brian Buescher, whom Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) questioned for his Catholic affiliation.

In Buescher's Dec. 5 confirmation hearing, Hirono brought up his affiliation with the Roman Catholic Knights of Columbus. She asked if he'd end his membership in the organization if confirmed to the court and questioned its views on reproductive rights.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Gabbard opposed Buescher's nomination, but also said she "stand[s] strongly against ... religious bigotry" in the op-ed. "If Buescher is “unqualified” because of his Catholicism," then former President John F. Kennedy would be "unqualified" too, she said. Gabbard didn't explicitly call out Hirono, but she did slam Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) for her questioning of then-U.S. Circuit Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in 2017. Feinstein had said Barrett's Christian "dogma" was "of concern." Gabbard said she "believes in the separation of church and state," but added that "no American should be asked to renounce his or her faith ... to hold public office."

Hirono's spokesperson said the senator "asks all judicial nominees ... if they can be fair," and added that "it is unfortunate that Congresswoman Gabbard based her misguided opinion on the far-right wing manipulation of these straightforward questions."

Gabbard has been mentioned as a potential 2020 candidate and said last month she's "seriously considering" a bid. Her op-ed got some resounding support from Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who said "every American ... should join her on this." Read it all at The Hill.