Republican Rep. Steve Stockman invited the Missouri rodeo clown who donned a President Barack Obama mask at the state fair to perform at a rodeo in his Texas district.

On Wednesday, Stockman issued a press release supporting the rodeo clown and his right to free speech, saying the “liberal reaction is straight out of Alinsky,” a reference to liberal community organizer Saul Alinsky’s book, “Rules for Radicals.”

“Liberals want to bronco bust dissent. But Texans value speech, even if its speech they don’t agree with,” Stockman said in his release. “Disagreeing with speech is one thing. Banning it and ordering citizens into re-education classes for mocking a liberal leader is another. Liberals have targeted this man for personal destruction to create a climate of fear.”

Stockman subsequently tweeted, “If that rodeo clown had sexually assaulted a San Diego city employee Democrats would be defending him” — an apparent reference to the scandal over allegations of sexual harassment by San Diego Mayor Bob Filner. (Many California Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, have criticized Filner and others have called on him to resign.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIM4nxvepGI

On Saturday, during a bull riding event at the state fair in Sedalia, Mo., a rodeo clown wore an Obama mask while an announcer whipped up the crowd.

“We’re going to smoke Obama, man!” the announcer said excitedly. “You ready? Obama, they’re coming for you this time!”

The announcer continued: “As soon as this bull comes out, Obama don’t you move! He’s gonna get you, get you, get you, get you!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_xqUemUknY

The Missouri state fair, which received more than $400,000 in taxpayer dollars, handed down a lifetime ban to the rodeo clown on Monday and ordered the other clowns to complete sensitivity training. The announcer, Boonville School Superintendent and Missouri Cowboy Rodeo Association President Mark Ficken, resigned that same day over the controversy.