House Hearing Goes Off! Fireworks Between GOP & Dems
Things got heated on Capitol Hill Thursday when Democrats and Republicans argued over the allotted amount of time given to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a hearing of the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.
The issue began when Kennedy, who is a prominent lawyer and environmental activist, was given five minutes to give his opening statement. The ranking Democrat, Del. Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands, was not happy about that allotment and said sarcastically “Let’s just squash the time for all the witnesses then.”
But, Rep. Jim Jordan, the chair, sharply stated “If you want to cut him off and censor him then, you’re welcome too.”
Not backing down, Plaskett attempted to cut Kennedy off from speaking. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) then stepped in and yielded his time to Mr. Kennedy, noting that the Democrats were attempting to “censor him.” Plaskett tried to deny that she was “censoring the witness,” but Massie would not allow it.
Kennedy then took the time to respond to some of the accusations that had been made against him. Calling them “defamations and malignancies,” Kennedy said that his accusers’ accusations that he created a film encouraging African Americans not to seek appropriate medical care was “completely abhorrent.” He also noted that his uncle, the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, had actually called for hearings on the Tuskegee Experiment, which he said had a lasting effect on him.
The exchange between Kennedy and Plaskett highlights a growing tension between the two parties when it comes to matters of censorship. This tension stems from recent developments, such as the Democrats’ censoring of two IRS whistleblowers on Wednesday when they gave testimony before the House.
Kennedy’s testimony on Thursday displayed to all watching how eager some Democrats are to use censorship to quell dissenting opinions. Jordan and Massie attempted to stave off Plaskett from cutting Kennedy’s speech short, but the fact remains that so-called ‘free speech’ is not as free as it should be.
Kennedy’s testimony was critical in that it detailed the censoring and weaponization of the Federal Government from both sides of the aisle. His story raises questions about how the decision is made to censor or limit speech, and why some voices are allowed to speak while others are not. Hopefully, more light can be shed on this issue and steps can be taken by both parties to ensure that all voices are given the same opportunity to be heard.
RFK JR TO STACEY PLASKETT: “Virtually every statement that you just made about me is inaccurate... These are defamations and malignancies that are used to censor me to prevent people from listening to the actual things that I'm saying”
pic.twitter.com/CpM5NDZWaA— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 20, 2023