Dem Congressman Tells African Leaders 'I Do Not Whip People'

Playing off of his title as House Minority Whip, Rep. Steny Hoyer made a joke about “whip[ping] people” to a group of African leaders visiting the U.S. for a major diplomatic summit.

“First of all, let me tell my friends from Africa, I do not whip people,” the Maryland Democrat told a crowd at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Wednesday.

Some in the audience laughed, albeit lightly.

“And if you watch ‘House of Cards,’ it is not accurate,” Hoyer continued, referencing a show aired on Netflix about the inner workings of Washington D.C. politics.

Wednesday’s event, titled “Dialogue with African CEOs,” was hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus.

More