Republican Says He Regrets Calling Kamala Harris a ‘DEI Hire’ But Adds ‘It Was The Truth’

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) expressed regret for referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as a “DEI hire,” but also backed his claim, insisting it’s “the truth.”

Burchett joined Laura Coates on The Laura Coates Show on SiriusXM on Wednesday morning and responded to backlash against his comment, which critics have called sexist and racist. “DEI” refers to diversity, equality, and inclusion programs.

“When folks are explained that this was in fact a statement that the president had made, and that it was one of his criteria for putting her on the ballot with him, then folks understand it… And actually members of Congress, both parties, have said, look, yeah, we get it, but this is what we got do because this is what our base and our leadership’s demanding. So, yeah. Do I wished I’d said it? No, but it was the truth,” Burchett explained.

Burchett denied being a racist during the interview, saying he just wants “the best players put in.”

“I’m not a racist and it’s being interpreted that. And I would just ask folks to look at my record, and you know, you’re not gonna know the content of my heart, but that’s the furthest thing from my mind,” he said. “I just want the best players put in. I’ve seen too many people of color skipped over by other members of color because they were connected and that infuriates me because a lot of good folks get passed over and a lot of ladies get passed over because some other lady is connected. I just don’t like that.”

The Republican lawmaker said his “DEI” comments came after a tense meeting over former Secret Service head Kimblerly Cheatle following the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

“It was a hot meeting over the Secret Service director, and I actually I was asked about her and I continued to say that she was a terrible hire, which she was,” Burchett said, “and she ended up resigning in shame, and then you know, then the CNN reporter stuck in the part about the vice president.”

In his original comments, Burchett questioned the hiring of Harris and chalked it up to her race.

“Biden said, first off, he said he’s going to hire a black female for vice president and that not… just skipped over. What about what about white females? What about any other group? It just when you go down that route, if you take mediocrity and that’s what they have right now as a vice president,” he said.

“Are you suggesting she was a DEI hire?” CNN’s Manu Raju asked.

“One hundred percent, she was a DEI hire,” Burchett responded.

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