SALT LAKE CITY — One day after calling members of Congress imbeciles, Governor Spencer Cox has apologized for using the term that some find offensive.
While answering a question on immigration policy during his monthly news conference Thursday, Cox was pointed in placing blame on what he termed the country's "broken immigration system" at the feet of politicians in Washington.
"The Constitution is very clear that immigration is a federal issue but states have to step in because these imbeciles in Congress can't get their crap together to do something that everybody knows needs to be done, and that is to protect the border and to fix legal immigration," said the governor, "and all they wanna do is get reelected by pointing fingers at each other, and they divide us, and they do it on purpose and it's embarrassing and they should all get fired."
On Friday, Cox tweeted out an apology for using the term.
"Just want to apologize for using a derogatory term yesterday to describe members of congress over the past 40 years for failing to fix the border and immigration crisis. As someone who tries to hold myself to a higher standard of dignity and civility, I should be better," he wrote.
Just want to apologize for using a derogatory term yesterday to describe members of congress over the past 40 years for failing to fix the border and immigration crisis. As someone who tries to hold myself to a higher standard of dignity and civility, I should be better.
— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) May 19, 2023
Although he apologized, Cox didn't back away from his original sentiment in believing that both political parties in Congress are at fault for not fixing the legal immigration system.
Unlike other lawmakers who want to shut down U.S. borders, Cox believes the country needs more immigrants.
"We have so many job openings right now in, in the state of Utah and other places that cannot be filled," Cox said Thursday. "It's actually hurting our economy that we can't have good people that want to live here."
