Texas Congressman Quotes Nazi Propagandist During Hearing [VIDEO]

If there’s one thing most of us can agree on, it’s probably this: don’t quote Nazi propaganda in a U.S. congressional hearing. But that didn’t stop Texas Rep. Keith Self from doing just that—and now, the backlash.

Texas Congressman Takes to the Mic with Nazi-like Propaganda

During a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee meeting this week, Rep. Self—who represents Texas’ 3rd Congressional District—took the mic during a discussion on alleged censorship of conservative voices on social media. Then, he quoted none other than Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

“It is the absolute right of the state to supervise the formation of public opinion,” Self read aloud, citing Goebbels, in what he claimed was a warning about government overreach in shaping public discourse.

Fellow Texas Lawmakers Were Quick to Respond

Let’s just say—that didn’t sit well with fellow lawmakers, especially Texas Democrat Julie Johnson, who responded immediately: “When you're quoting Joseph Goebbels… we have a big problem.” She added, “That’s as alarming as hell to me.”

Here's the exchange:

Johnson wasn’t done there. She later took to social media to drive the point home, saying, “It’s best not to quote him during a congressional hearing.” Hard to argue with that one.

This isn’t even Self’s first Goebbels reference. Back in 2010, while running for reelection as Collin County Judge, Self used another Goebbels quote—“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it”—in an attempt to call out his political opponent. So, it seems the Congressman has a history of borrowing from the wrong kind of historical figures.

And if that’s not enough controversy, Self also made headlines earlier this year for repeatedly misgendering Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress. That drew plenty of heat online, too.

When pressed for comment on the Goebbels quote, Self’s office said: “It is indisputable that the Biden administration weaponized its State Department to censor and suppress American citizens from their right to free speech.”

The bottom line? You can make a point about free speech and censorship without quoting one of the world’s most notorious propagandists. Maybe next time, let’s leave the Nazis out of it.