After Calling It a ‘Partner’ of ‘the Chinese Communist Party,’ Marco Rubio Fundraises at NBA Game

The Republican senator’s fundraiser took place just one day after warning that China is the “gravest threat facing America today.” 

Marco Rubio has reason to be “red” in the face. That’s because the Florida Republican senator has been caught in one of those “don’t do as I do, do as I say” moments that most politicians dread.

On his Twitter profile, the Cuban American politician describes himself as “banned in & sanctioned by China,” a distinction he seems to wear as a badge of honor.

But despite his claim, Rubio, who has also been a loud vocal critic of the National Basketball Association for doing business with the Chinese government, this week held a fundraising event at a basketball game in Washington, DC.

Donors were asked to contribute a minimum of $1,000 to Rubio’s reelection campaign to attend the Orlando Magic game against the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena, while representatives of corporations and other special interest groups were asked to donate $2,500 from their political action committees.

Double-Speak

Rubio’s fundraiser took place just one day after calling Communist China the “gravest threat facing America today” during an address to the right-wing Heritage Foundation, and a month after writing an editorial in the National Review under the headline “American Big Business Must Stop Colluding with China.”

He has also called NBA players “hypocrites” for talking about racial equality while allegedly not speaking out about China’s human rights violations.

“The NBA is in the same place as a lot of large corporations are when they go into China: They have to look the other way on some pretty atrocious actions on the part of the Chinese Communist Party,” Rubio told Fox News in 2020.

But it is clear that these “atrocious actions” did not deter the senator from using the NBA to raise funds for his reelection campaign, when he will likely face a strong contender.

A Committed Challenger

Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings, who is likely to be his challenger in November, has spoken out against the abuse Chinese workers endure under the century-long dictatorship.

“We cannot continue to allow the Chinese Communist Party to use forced labor and human rights violations to dominate the solar industry,” Demings said, speaking about her Solar Bill, a large-scale effort to strengthen America’s economy, security, and global leadership, that passed the US House in February.  

“We should not have to choose between clean power and human rights. These parts should be made by American workers right here in Florida.”