‘If they do, shame on them’: Schumer, Meng dare Republicans to oppose COVID Hate Crimes Act as vote looms
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned his Republican colleagues on Monday that they’ll make fools of themselves if they vote against a bill introduced by a fellow New York Democrat that would give the feds more tools to crack down on coronavirus-related hate crimes against Asian-Americans.
Schumer put GOP senators on notice while appearing in Manhattan’s Koreatown with Rep. Grace Meng, the lead House sponsor of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, to promote the measure ahead of an expected Senate vote this week.
“I dare any senator to vote against this legislation — and if they do, shame on them,” Schumer said on the corner of Broadway and W. 32nd Street, standing alongside Meng, other local politicians and Asian-American community leaders, many of whom touted signs saying “Stop Asian Hate.”
After his remarks, Schumer left for Capitol Hill to get the ball rolling on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. It could pass the Senate as early as Wednesday, according to a Democratic aide.
The legislation would require the Justice Department to create a new position tasked with expediting and expanding federal investigations into hate crimes stemming from the false belief that people of Asian descent are responsible for COVID-19. The bill would also provide guidance to local cops on reporting hate crimes and work with the Department of Health and Human Services on best practices for keeping racist language out of pandemic-related government literature.
Meng, whose chamber is expected to vote on its version of the bill within two weeks of Senate approval, said the measure would bring a sense of relief to communities in New York and beyond on edge because of an alarming spike in hate crimes against Asian-Americans during the pandemic.
“Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been some 3,800 reported attacks against Asian Americans and the number is likely higher since many incidents go unreported,” said Meng, who represents a chunk of eastern Queens that includes Flushing. “This discrimination and violence must end and it is why we are working to pass my critical bill.”
The concerning crime wave has in part been fueled by offensive rhetoric on the right about the origins of COVID-19. Former President Donald Trump, for instance, routinely calls it the “China virus” and other derogatory terms.
In the city alone, at least 40 New Yorkers of Asian descent have been victims of COVID-related hate crimes as of mid-April, according to NYPD data, with an unknown number of incidents believed to be unreported.
The Senate cleared a procedural hurdle last week to open debate on the bill in an unusually bipartisan 92-6 vote, suggesting there’s more than enough support for it to pass.
Still, some hard-right Republicans, including Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri, have signaled they won’t back the bill, complaining about provisions in it condemning Trumpian rhetoric.
In a statement last week, Cruz blasted the proposal as “a Democratic messaging vehicle designed to push the demonstrably false idea that it is somehow racist to acknowledge that COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China.”
Minsun Kim, the founder of the Museum of Korean American Heritage who helped organize Monday’s rally in Manhattan, said she’s not worried about the Republican opposition and voiced confidence in Schumer.
“We’re hoping that he keeps his promise,” Kim said, crossing her fingers.
