An ill-fated joke about marrying bacon took center stage Wednesday during hearings for one of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, insisted repeatedly that Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett’s declaration in “support” of marrying bacon was a cheap shot at the Supreme Court’s historic Obergefell v. Hodges case, which guaranteed the right to marry to same-sex couples.
Willett, who was nominated to serve on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, tweeted the joke on April 29, 2015.
“I could support recognizing a constitutional right to marry bacon,” the judge tweeted.
I could support recognizing a constitutional right to marry bacon. pic.twitter.com/HKPW6tE4H6
— Judge Don Willett (@JusticeWillett) April 30, 2015
“Why have you so attacked Supreme Court decisions?” the humorless Democrat Leahy asked, in reference to the Obergefell decision.
“I don’t believe I had attacked Supreme Court precedent,” Willett replied, according to The Washington Free Beacon. “But certainly, if I were fortunate enough to be confirmed as a federal circuit judge, I would be honor-bound, categorically, absolutely, to follow every controlling precedent.”
He then clarified that the tweet was little more than an attempt at “levity.”
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“Senator, as for the bacon tweet, that was the day after the Obergefell decision was issued and it was my attempt to inject a bit of levity,” Willett said. “The country was filled with rancor and polarization. It was a divisive time in the nation.”
While we understand the need for partisan politics, we can only wonder what would possess Leahy to align himself against bacon — the honeymoon prospects alone are enough to ensure allegiance.
Here’s a sampling of reactions from Twitter to Leahy trying to disqualify the nominee over a joke:
GUYS. Leahy says: "You've equated the constitutional right to same sex marriage, which the Supreme Court has upheld, with the the constitutional right to marry bacon. I don't think one would see that as praising the Supreme Court decisions"
ABOUT THIS TWEET. NOT KIDDING https://t.co/f5nZoiXscX
— Shoshana Weissmann, Sloth Committee Chair 🦥 (@senatorshoshana) November 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/JoePerticone/status/930830808163766279
https://twitter.com/FreddiePoster/status/930838132408320000
Solid job today by Pat Leahy in trying to make a dad joke about bacon disqualifying for a seat on the federal bench https://t.co/fRfIM6bJpZ
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) November 15, 2017
Leahy's wife apparently wanted to marry a rotting sack of potato peels https://t.co/5vnA1Nc7X9
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) November 15, 2017
I support @JusticeWillett & Bacon! What an ole fuddy duddy Leahy is, geesh retire already. #TermLimits pic.twitter.com/IW8ozeCzOM
— Rhonda Koenig (@Rhondako) November 15, 2017
@JusticeWillett I’m sorry, your honor, but I believe there are laws against eating one’s spouse.
— Gandalf Withagun (@GandalfWithagun) April 30, 2015
@JusticeWillett Is that bacon singular or bacon polygamy?
— Lynn Krebs PhD (@Lynnkrebs) April 30, 2015
Sarah Sanders delivers an icy cold blast to Democrat ‘extremists’ after they move to impeach Trump
You realize that that would be necrophiliac bestiality.
And awesome. https://t.co/hhAcIHgbTt
— Joe Pump (@JavaJoeX) November 16, 2017
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