Congressional Democrats displayed their petty immaturity in an attempt to mock Attorney General William Barr.
Rep. Steve Cohen kicked off Thursday morning’s House Judiciary Committee hearing with a set of props aimed at ridiculing the nation’s top law enforcement officer who opted out of an appearance over a dispute on the questioning process.
The Tennessee Democrat brought a ceramic chicken to the chamber and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which he proceeded to eat at the early morning hearing, in an effort to spin Barr’s no-show Thursday as an indication that he is afraid to testify before the House Committee.
.@RepCohen brought a plastic chicken and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken (which he is tucking into ahead of this 9AM House Judiciary hearing.)
“He’s here,” Cohen said, pointing to the chicken and referring to AG Barr who is not attending after a grilling in the Senate. pic.twitter.com/bGz3HCRSCQ
— Lauren Gambino (@laurenegambino) May 2, 2019
“The attorney general is here!” Cohen said.
— Andrew Desiderio (@desiderioDC) May 2, 2019
Yep, Cohen brought “chicken,” in case the Dems’ message of Barr’s no-show was lost on anyone. pic.twitter.com/XFiNgT6RG5
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) May 2, 2019
Chairman Jerry Nadler accused Barr of being “terrified” when he spoke with reporters late Wednesday after the attorney general had indicated he would not appear before the House Judiciary Committee.
“He is terrified of having to face a skilled attorney,” the New York Democrat said, ignoring the fact that Barr spent hours facing questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday over his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.
Dems slam Barr for skipping House testimony, threaten subpoenas: ‘he can run but he can’t hide’ https://t.co/au13dIELZM
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) May 2, 2019
Barr refused to appear on Thursday after Nadler indicated that Judiciary Committee staff, not members of Congress, would conduct the inquiry.
“He is certainly testifying to the Senate so it’s not like he is afraid to answer questions under oath,” Counselor to President Trump, Kellyanne Conway, told Fox News Tuesday, slamming Democrats for their “disrespect” and “harassment” of the attorney general.
“‘Chicken Barr’ should have shown up today and answered questions,” Cohen told reporters, claiming Barr was afraid and calling him “Donald Trump’s fixer.”
Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, who brought a ceramic chicken and ate from a bucket of KFC during the House Judiciary hearing, says “‘Chicken Barr’ should have shown up today and answered questions” https://t.co/PVMpCmTID2 pic.twitter.com/7sOgTV2yBz
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 2, 2019
Thursday’s smug performance by Cohen earned plenty of snickering applause from Democrats intent on taking down the attorney general.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, laughs with Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., after Cohen arrived with a bucked of fried chicken and a plastic chicken as Attorney General William Barr will not appear before a House Judiciary Committee hearing. @ap pic.twitter.com/fLdpuWB13X
— Andrew Harnik (@andyharnik) May 2, 2019
.@RepCohen places a glass chicken in place of AG Barr https://t.co/ZcvGtfCcIz pic.twitter.com/r7BUKyRIkA
— The Hill (@thehill) May 2, 2019
Look what Rep. Steve Cohen brought to today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing. He tapped the chicken and said “He’s here!” referring to AG Barr who is a no-show. Barr objected to being questioned by staff lawyers. pic.twitter.com/6cdXxIioQZ
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) May 2, 2019
Rep. Matt Gaetz slammed Democrats who accuse Barr of being “terrified” yet cut off the Florida Republican’s microphone on Thursday.
Judiciary Democrats say AG Barr is “terrified.” Yesterday he testified for over five hours in an open hearing.
Today, they cut off my microphone. #WhoIsTerrified? pic.twitter.com/xQhQR0HMwY
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) May 2, 2019
Congressional Democrats have contended that Barr intentionally attempted to present Mueller’s findings in a way that was favorable to President Trump. And the controversy was further stoked by reports that Mueller was allegedly frustrated and contacted the attorney general about the summary of the report he issued just ahead of the report’s release.
Fox News Channel’s Brit Hume slammed the pointless premise of the witch hunt by Democrats.
They key point is that what Mueller thought about Barr’s initial memo on Mueller’s conclusions does not matter. Why? Because the whole report has been made public. https://t.co/PTL7XFS4nT
— Brit Hume (@brithume) May 1, 2019
He also condemned the “windy personal attack” on Barr by Sen. Mazie Hirono, blasting the “disreputable practice” in a tweet on Wednesday.
Yeah, she really “blistered” him. She used her whole turn to make a windy personal attack, while asking him practically nothing, thereby establishing nothing. She is far from the first member to engage in this disreputable practice, long viewed as Congress at its worst. https://t.co/qdyLhnIpNT
— Brit Hume (@brithume) May 1, 2019
Sen. Lindsey Graham ripped into the Hawaii Democrat after she attacked Barr, at one point telling him he should just resign.
Mazie Hirono scolded by Graham after nasty Barr rant: ‘You have slandered this man from top to bottom’ https://t.co/SN2a5t5SuV
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) May 1, 2019
“You have slandered this man from top to bottom,” Graham told Hirono.
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Doug Collins vented in a fiery statement, asking what Democrats “are scared of” during Thursday morning’s hearing.
Over the 206-year history of this committee, staff have never questioned witnesses in an oversight hearing. Never. Not once. So, to say Chairman Nadler’s demands are unprecedented would be an understatement. pic.twitter.com/eMW1BXZHDi
— Rep. Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) May 2, 2019
The Georgia Republican told reporters that it’s not Barr who is afraid, but Democrats who “may have something to be worried about.”
“This Democratic majority seems to be impatient … they don’t want to ask proper questions,” says GOP Rep. Doug Collins. “They hate this President and they want to keep the circus going and make the American people believe they’re doing impeachment” pic.twitter.com/HW90oTG98z
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 2, 2019
“They hate this President and they want to keep the circus going and make the American people believe they’re doing impeachment,” Collins said.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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