Last night the Matthew Shepard Act, which would add sexual orientation to federal hate crimes laws, faced an attack in the U.S. House by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas).

According to the Hill, Gohmert claimed the bill “held our soldiers hostage” and that victims’ families should instead “choose the vehicle and the rope or chains by which they’re going to drag the defendant to his death,” a sly way of implying that it is the victims’ families who are perpetrating the real hate crimes.  Not surprisingly, Gohmert finished his remarks with a reference to bestiality.

Out Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) rose to defend the bill.