‘The View’s Whoopi Goldberg Defends Texas Politician Who Allegedly Cursed Out Employees: “Her Staff Needs To Grow A Couple Of Pair”

Whoopi Goldberg is siding with a Texas politician who came under fire after a recording allegedly captured her hurling profanities at her staffers. On this morning’s episode of The View, Goldberg suggested employees unhappy working for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee should simply quit.

In a clip — which has not been verified by Lee or her staff — she is heard allegedly slamming employees as “two goddamn big-ass children” and “idiots,” per The Houston Chronicle, which obtained a copy of the audio.

Ana Navarro immediately blasted Lee’s alleged behavior as “emotional abuse,” calling the congresswoman “toxic,” while Alyssa Farah Griffin claimed Lee’s reputation as “one of the worst bosses on Capitol Hill” was an “open secret.”

“It’s just wrong and just mean,” she added, but when Goldberg chimed in, she struck a different tone than her co-hosts, reminding them first that the recording has not yet been verified.

“We have to be able to prove that it’s her,” she countered, adding, “Listen, being cussed out is sometimes part of how some of us grew up. When adult folks go off — especially women — when they go off, they’re not gonna hit you. They’re gonna cuss you out.”

She then added, “If you are in an environment that is toxic for you, you should leave it.”

Navarro wasn’t swayed by Goldberg’s words, and once again slammed Lee, accusing her of not “being an adult” and calling on her to own up to the words on the recording. Griffin spoke up again too, sympathizing for the people being “underpaid” working for Lee, who she said don’t deserve to be spoken to in a demeaning way.

Their commentary didn’t resonate with Goldberg, though, who replied, “If you’re in a situation that is like that and there are other folks that you can go and work for, then you should not stay.”

After Griffin suggested Lee undergo “anger management” and maybe even resign, Goldberg placed the blame on her staffers: “Or maybe, her staff needs to grow a couple of pair if this is actually what’s going on and say, ‘Ma’am, as I leave this job, I want you to know—”

Before Goldberg could continue, Griffin protested, “It’s a power dynamic,” but Goldberg hit back, “Power dynamics do not force you to stay in a place where you are being mistreated. I do not believe that you should. You can go to people and say, ‘How to do I get out of here?'”

While Lee herself has yet to directly address the recording herself, her campaign provided a statement to The Houston Chronicle on Saturday (Oct. 21) seemingly connecting the leaked audio to her mayoral race rival, state Sen. John Whitmire.

“This is a low handed political tactic meant to discredit a thriving mayoral campaign and distract voters ahead of the early voting period,” they shared. “It’s unsurprising that these attacks have originated from extremely conservative blogs and political operatives backing John Whitmire.”

The View airs weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.