In an epic rebuttal to Democrats sitting on the House Judiciary Committee over their ever-changing claims about the immigration “crisis” along the U.S. southern border, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used Majority Whip Rep. Jim Clyborn’s own words against him and his caucus.
Democrats first refuse to acknowledge that a “humanitarian crisis” existed, but now have changed their tune.
House Democrats are railing against the way the Trump administration is now dealing with the “humanitarian crisis.”
Gaetz played an audio recording of Rep. Clyborn stating, “absolutely not” when a CNN reporter asked him if there really was a “humanitarian crisis along the border.
Gaetz’s playing of the audio soundbite, which was recorded on a loop, did not sit well with his Democratic colleagues, prompting them to voice their opposition to the audio.
Transcript:
CNN: “The President said there is a humanitarian crisis at the border. Is there?”
MAJORITY WHIP CLYBURN: “Absolutely not.”
CNN: “The President said there is a humanitarian crisis at the border. Is there?”
MAJORITY WHIP CLYBURN: “Absolutely not.
CNN: “The President said there is a humanitarian crisis at the border. Is there?”
MAJORITY WHIP CLYBURN: “Absolutely not.”
CNN: “The President said there is a humanitarian crisis at the border. Is there?”
MAJORITY WHIP CLYBURN: “Absolutely not.”
CNN: “The President said there is a humanitarian crisis at the border. Is there?”
MAJORITY WHIP CLYBURN: “Absolutely not.”
REP. DEAN (interjects): “Point of order?”
CNN: “The President said there is a humanitarian crisis at the border. Is there?”
CLYBURN: “Absolutely not.”
REP. DEAN: “Just, I guess it’s a parliamentary inquiry. Is it appropriate for a Member to just put on a loop, a teeny soundbite out of context? Is that allowed?
REP. NADLER: “The gentleman controls the time I’m not aware of any rule that would preclude him from doing so.”
REP. DEAN: “Thank you.”
REP. GAETZ: “Thank you, I think I still control the time
And I just think that’s quite something…that when you’re fed back your own words from your own leadership from earlier this year, you think that’s out of context and inappropriate and not allowed again, we didn’t raise the issue! It was the gentlelady from Texas that said ‘these allegations from Republicans that we were in denial -they’re offensive. We’ve always known of the crisis.’ And the Democratic Whip laughed! ‘Absolutely not.’ Laughed. Thought it was laughable. Thought it was funny.
You know who doesn’t think it’s funny? The Trump administration because Secretary McAleenan has been ringing the warning bell for months about the crisis, he begged you all to take action more quickly.
One of the reasons why so many young people, so many vulnerable people are in tragic conditions is because we didn’t act when the administration wanted us to provide funding that was absolutely necessary to care for people. And so it is appropriate to question why we are in these conditions. But it wasn’t the Republicans that were in denial. It was all of you, and it was in your own words from your own leadership. Be offended with the Democratic Whip, not House Republicans. I yield back.”
