Rep. Walsh Says He Hopes Rep. Rush Is Also Outraged With "Black On Black Crime"

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Mar 29, 2012 8:20PM

Tea Party congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL) spoke out on colleague Rep. Bobby Rush's (D-IL) wearing of a hoodie on the floor of the House of Representatives yesterday.

"I hope Congressman Rush will be as outraged with all of the black on black crime going on in the city of Chicago weekend after weekend," Walsh told NBC. "This is where our outrage has got to be as well."

Rush was escorted from the House floor yesterday morning for wearing a hoodie while addressing the chamber to discuss the killing of Trayvon Martin. He was reprimanded for violating House rules against hats.

The Daily Beast has a good profile of Rush and a run down on his history as an outspoken civil rights activist, who represents the district with the country’s highest percentage of black voters. Rush helped found the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers, but later left the group saying it glorified thuggery and drugs. He's also the only person to beat Barack Obama in an election.

Rush did an interview with ABC to explain why he wore the hoodie yesterday and to voice his concerns about the killing of Trayvon Martin. He wore his hoodie and sunglasses throughout the interview. "It seems like the lives of black men in this nation are not given the same value as the life of others, and there's something wrong with that," said Rush.

Watch Walsh's comments below. And further below, watch Rush's interview with ABC.