Attorney general William Barr schooled Jerry Nadler on the finer points of the law as the Nadler led hearings turned into a farce.
“You really can’t hide behind legal fictions this time, Mr. Barr. It’s all out in the open,” Nadler told Barr. “The president wants footage for his campaign ads, and you appear to be serving it up to him as ordered. In most of these cities, the protests had begun to wind down before you marched in and confronted the protesters.”
“In this moment, real leadership would entail de-escalation instead, you use pepper spray and truncheons on American citizens. Shame on you, Mr. Barr,” whined Nadler.
Enter Bill Barr.
“You’ve conflated two different things. The effort, like Operation Legend, is to deal with violent crime.
“That does not involve encountering protesters, as you refer to it. Civil disturbance is a separate set of issues,” Barr said.
“And I just reject the decision that the department is flooded anywhere in an attempt to suppress demonstrators.”
“And the fact of the matter is, in Portland, the courthouse is under attack.”
“The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the committee that’s supposed to look out for the rule of law, the committee that’s supposed to be concerned about the Constitution and protecting basic rights and liberties and antifa, a terrorist organization, is anything but a myth,” Rep. Jim Jordan said turning the tables on the hapless Nadler.
Rep. Jim Jordan to AG Barr: “I want to thank you for defending law enforcement…and standing up for the rule of law” https://t.co/IXi40G8MAP pic.twitter.com/JtYWNhA2Gg
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 28, 2020
Rep. Jerry Nadler: "Shame on you, Mr. Barr." pic.twitter.com/FIVJGDzrja
— The Hill (@thehill) July 28, 2020
