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Batgirl Voted to Impeach Trump, Making Halloween a Partisan Issue

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:13 PM
Laurence Watt
Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:13 PM
  • Rep. Katie Porter voted to move forward with the Trump impeachment inquiry dressed as Batgirl.
  • Porter’s Batman-inspired costume went viral on Twitter, where it met equal measures of praise and scorn.
  • Unsurprisingly, the debate mostly fell on party lines.

She isn’t defending Gotham, but supporters say House Rep. Katie Porter is saving the United States from an evil clown. The congresswoman from California embraced the Halloween spirit on Thursday and showed up to a crucial Trump impeachment vote dressed as Batgirl.

Batgirl Throws Her Weight Behind Trump Impeachment

In case you hadn’t noticed, Halloween fell on the same day the House of Representatives formally voted to proceed with an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump .

A video uploaded by Comfortably Smug  shows the congresswoman voting in the Financial Services Committee dressed in full Batgirl attire.

At one point, she’s approached by someone who jokes:

“If you return the Batmobile, could you pay for the Green New Deal?”

NRCC Attacks Rep. Porter as a ‘Clown’ for Dressing up as Batgirl

Like all but two of her Democratic colleagues, Porter voted to move forward with the impeachment inquiry. But it was Porter’s costume that drew the most backlash from the Twitterverse.

Unsurprisingly, the congresswoman was lambasted by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Not everyone was critical of Porter. It is Halloween, after all.

https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1189966802610278407

Wearing Halloween Costume Becomes Partisan Issue

As trivial or serious as this story may be to some, it does touch on a deeper issue about the relationship between citizens and their elected representatives.

A common criticism of politicians is that they are disconnected from working-class voters. Millions of people attend work on Halloween wearing costumes as subtle as a pair of cat ears or as bold as a full superhero costume.

So why should Katie Porter be treated differently for partaking in the fun? It’s not like she’s working in a lab with dangerous chemicals or running into a burning building to extinguish a fire. She’s taking part in a tradition like millions of other U.S. citizens.

Ultimately, the criticism of Porter’s Batgirl costume is likely fueled by the deep political polarization gripping America and the significance of the impeachment vote. Regardless of how Porter dresses for Halloween, she’s still a Democrat at war with Republicans over a motion that harms Donald Trump. And as long as she remains at war, whatever Porter does will face fire and fury from the opposition.