GOP lawmaker stands by lynching comments at House hearing

Republican Congressman Chip Roy of Texas made what appeared to be a pro-lynching remark during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the rise in anti-Asian American violence and discrimination on Thursday. His comments were immediately criticized by other lawmakers at the hearing, but he responded in a statement afterward saying "I meant it." 

"We believe in justice. There are old sayings in Texas about find all the rope in Texas and get a tall oak tree," Roy said at the hearing on Thursday. "We take justice very seriously. And we ought to do that. Round up the bad guys. That's what we believe," he added. "My concern about this hearing is that it seems to want to venture into the policing of rhetoric in a free society, free speech, and away from the rule of law and taking out bad guys." Roy also railed against the "Chinese Communist Party" and suggested the hearing was trying to police "rhetoric in a free society."