Red state Republicans allow 'brownface' hearing testimony to continue

The Idaho Press reports a Republican-dominated legislative committee allowed a white man wearing brownface to testify on a bill pertaining to the employment of immigrants lacking permanent legal status.

“David Pettinger, a known local far-right activist, has sparked outcry after his appearance Monday at a hearing for House Bill 704, a new bill requiring all private and public employers to use E-Verify to determine whether an individual has been authorized for employment in the United States,” reports Idaho Press. “During the public hearing, Pettinger arrived in brownface, a rainbow-colored poncho, a brown wig and a mustache and was joined by a man he described as his “interpreter."

Pettinger, portraying an undocumented immigrant in opposition to the proposed bill, began his testimony in broken Spanish. When the committee began to erupt in outcry, Republicans in charge of the committee called the committee at ease, after which Pettinger was allowed to deliver his testimony without his so-called “interpreter” beside him in plain English.

Idaho Press reports Pettinger had been looking forward to providing the committee with “some entertainment,” but didn’t “want to end up handcuffs again."

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Idaho condemned the decision to allow Pettinger to finish his testimony.

In a press release, the organization, the ACLU called Pettinger’s actions “a clear, obscene mockery of Latinos in Idaho” as well as a violation of the committee’s own prohibition against “demonstrations, applause, clapping, and signage.”

“What this committee did here is support racist behavior, and it’s absolutely unacceptable,” said Idaho ACLU Interim Advocacy Director Ruby Mendez-Mota.

At an unrelated event, IP reported Pettinger was involved in the covering up of Boise City Hall's Pride and organ donor flags with garbage bags before raising an Appeal to Heaven Flag, Idaho Press.