Republican said Sikh should not be allowed to deliver House prayer
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Rep. Mary Miller at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 11. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) posted — then quickly deleted — that a Sikh should have "never been allowed" to lead the House of Representatives' daily prayer on Friday after initially incorrectly calling the man a Muslim.
Why it matters: This is not the first time Miller has fallen into hot water for inflammatory remarks. Shortly before she took office in 2021, she made headlines for saying "Hitler was right about one thing."
- After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Miller called the decision a "historic victory for white life," which her office later said was based on a misreading of her prepared remarks.
- A Miller spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
What happened: Giani Singh, a Sikh Granthi from southern New Jersey, delivered the House's morning prayer on Friday.
- Miller responded later in the morning by incorrectly identifying Singh as a Muslim, saying it was "deeply troubling that a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning."
- "This should have never been allowed to happen. America was founded as a Christian nation, and I believe our government should reflect that truth, not drift further from it. May God have mercy," she added.
- Miller quickly edited her post to change "Muslim" to "Sikh," before deleting it altogether minutes later.
Reality check: The U.S. was not founded as an explicitly Christian nation with the the First Amendment ensuring freedom of religion. Article VI of the Constitution also states that "no religious Test shall ever be required" to hold public office.
What they're saying: "I often say that I serve in Congress with some of the greatest minds of the 18th century. With Rep. Miller I may need to take it back a few more centuries," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) said in a post on X.
- Said Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) in a post on X: "What's deeply disturbing is the blatant ignorance and anti-Sikh, anti-Muslim xenophobia coming from my colleague across the aisle."
- "There is no place in our country, and especially the Halls of Congress, for this hate and intolerance," she added. "The tweet may have been deleted, but we still have the receipts."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
