Another Democrat takes a knee on House floor to support NFL protests

A second House Democrat kneeled on the House floor on Tuesday to show support for NFL players protesting police brutality.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) took a knee behind his podium at the end of a floor speech denouncing President Trump’s attacks on athletes who have been kneeling during the national anthem to draw attention to law enforcement’s treatment of African-Americans.

“I think today, taking a knee is becoming a broader sign of patriotism and respect for our country,” Pocan said.

“I join so many now in the NFL and elsewhere in taking a knee for the America that we all aspire it to be.”

{mosads}Pocan is the second lawmaker to kneel on the House floor in the last 24 hours to show solidarity with the athletes.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, was the first lawmaker to do so Monday night.

“I kneel in honor of the First Amendment. I kneel because the flag is a symbol for freedom. I kneel because I’m going to stand against racism. I kneel because I will stand with those young men and I’ll stand with our soldiers. And I’ll stand with America, because I kneel,” Jackson Lee said.

Pocan on Tuesday kneeled after delivering a floor speech highlighting people and entities that Trump has attacked on Twitter, including the NFL players, the casts of “Hamilton” and “Saturday Night Live,” Hillary Clinton, CNN, former FBI Director James Comey, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Nordstrom and “Morning Joe” host Mika Brzezinski.

Then he presented a poster depicting things Trump has not attacked: barbershop quartets, pumpkin spice lattes and white supremacists who attended a march in Charlottesville, Va., last month.

“Although it’s fairly recent, pumpkin spice lattes. I know they just came out, it’s a sign of fall. But so far there’s no Twitter traffic from Trump tackling these tasty treats,” Pocan said of the fall-themed lattes.

Moments later on the House floor, Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) defended Trump for calling on NFL players to stand during the national anthem.

“The president is right to publicly object to this disrespect to our flag and nation,” Mooney said. “While we can disagree on politics and policies, we should not denigrate our flag in our national anthem.”