Activist who met with GOP lawmakers also promotes ‘black violence’ gene: report

An activist known for white nationalist views who met with two GOP lawmakers this week has previously shared links to stories about how African-Americans “possessed a ‘violence’ gene.”

GOP Reps. Andy Harris (Md.) and Phil Roe (Tenn.) met with the activist, Chuck Johnson, on Thursday to discuss a company advocating for “increasing the number of sequenced genomes for research,” NBC News reports.

NBC said the participants would not name the company, which Johnson allegedly represents.

The Huffington Post first reported the meeting.

{mosads}The lawmakers discussed “DNA” and “genetics” with Johnson, a spokesperson for Roe confirmed to NBC News. 

Spokespersons for both Republicans also told the news agency that neither politician was aware of Johnson’s prior comments.

When pressed for comment by NBC News, Johnson, who is known for white supremacist connections and right-wing conspiracy news websites, told the publication that he doesn’t “discuss my work with people who don’t understand it.”

“Of course I disavow and condemn white supremacy and anti-Semitism,” Harris told the news outlet in a statement. Harris also told the outlet that the meeting did not cover genetics as it relates to race. 

Johnson, who once reportedly said in a Facebook post that he believes Muslims are “genetically different in their propensity for violence or rape,” also reportedly linked to a report in May 2017 with the headline: “African Americans possess ‘violence’ gene, researchers find.”

He also reportedly linked to a report from the Daily Mail about a white teenager who was assaulted by black girls and wrote in the caption: “They mean to exterminate us.”