Bryant, Harper react to controversial Thompson comments
3rd Dist. Rep. Gregg Harper, actor Gerald McRaney and Gov. Phil Bryant wait to greet attendees at the 25th annual Okatoma Festival in Collins Saturday.
Federal and state officials in Mississippi are continuing to react to controversial statements made by 2nd Dist. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who recently said that Gov. Phil Bryant’s opposition to Medicaid expansion was racist and called Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas an “uncle tom.”
Saturday, Gov. Bryant said Thompson’s comments were “ridiculous,” while 3rd Dist. Rep. Gregg Harper said they were “counter-productive.”
“We resist the expansion of Medicaid because it costs jobs, because it’s been a failure,” Bryant said. “This morning I was reading in the USA Today where people in California are going to Mexico for healthcare. Now, if that’s an example of what Obamacare will do, then we’re going to continue to resist it,” he said.
“I hope Congressman Thompson will understand that this is about a level of trust that we should have in our president and it has absolutely nothing to do with race,” said Harper. “And for him to insinuate that, it’s insulting,” he said.
Gov. Bryant and Rep. Harper were in Collins Saturday, attending the 25th annual Okatoma Festival.
WDAM
5/3/14
