WATCH: Dem Congresswoman Places the Blame For Virginia’s Blackface Scandals on Trump

During her appearance on a CNN panel on Sunday, Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-CA) said President Donald Trump was mainly at fault over the blackface scandals plaguing Virginia’s Governor Ralph Northam (D) and Attorney General Mark Herring (D).

“I mean, the race issue in today’s day and age with the president at the helm who has been one of the most divisive presidents and, frankly, racist himself, is a conversation we do need to have,” Barragan said.

She argued it’s important to remember Trump is diving the nation with his rhetoric and policies:

“But looking at just the line of order and saying we’re not going to do that because of the consequence is not the right way to do this. And so for me, I would — I do think we need to have this conversation and we should continue to have this conversation, but it has to be front and center. And we can’t forget about the person who is dividing us and who himself is injecting this into the country to live up again and coming out again. We haven’t seen it be this bad in recent time until the president has really made this a race issue whether it’s about African-Americans, certainly he’s doing it all over the board with immigrants, but we need to have this conversation.”

Barragan’s comments did not go over well with former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner (D), saying people need to stop using Trump as an easy out on race issues.

“Jake, I cannot. I just can’t. 1984, 1980, Gucci just a few days ago. This is not about President Donald Trump,” she said. “This is about racism in the United States of America. Congresswoman, I hear you, but on this, we’re not blaming President Trump.”

“I am not going to continue to let politicians use this man as the excuse to deal with racism in this country. It’s been going on for far too long in the United States of America. We need some real truth and reconciliation,” Turner continued. “Yes, president Trump is a racist. There is no doubt about it. But as we have seen, Democrats delve in racism as well. We’ve got to stop making this about who is a Republican, who is a Democrat. I want to know who say humanitarian.”

Watch above, via CNN.

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