In a recent hearing, Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) rose to the defense of the FBI, DOJ, and the IRS, saying, “It’s disappointing to see these constant attacks on the Department of Justice, the FBI, the IRS, painting them as if they’re opposed to US interests. These agencies play crucial roles in safeguarding our democracy and propelling it forward. They are the pillars of checks and balances in our system.”
It seems Congressman Mfume needs a refresher on the Constitution, given the roles and responsibilities of these agencies. Unsurprisingly, former President Donald Trump and his family weren’t far from the Democrats’ thoughts. Mfume diverged from the main issue to touch on Trump-related matters.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took the same path, using a diversionary tactic to mention Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. She referenced a 2012 case where both were implicated for reportedly deceiving potential buyers of units in a hotel and condo development. Ocasio-Cortez also claimed that Trump’s personal lawyer at the time made political donations to then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., allegedly to have the charges dismissed. Ocasio-Cortez seemed to think she’d caught her opponents off guard with these claims.
This hearing, however, was supposed to focus on Hunter Biden’s tax issues, and the entire Trump family were private citizens back in 2012. So, this detour seemed like a way to deflect attention from the main issue at hand reported by Fox News.
“I want to congratulate my colleagues from across the aisle for gathering us here today, almost distracting us from the biggest investigation that is going on right now in our country and in our nation’s history involving the former president and the front-runner for the Republican nomination, who is currently facing a 37-count indictment.”Adding to the diversionary tactics were Reps. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Summer Lee (D-PA). When Trump-related topics didn’t suffice, they turned the conversation towards race, accusing America of operating a two-tiered justice system.
Frost remarked, “Republicans, including Trump, have voiced concerns about a two-tiered justice system…Yes, we do have a two-tiered justice system… as can be clearly seen from the George Floyd case!” However, it was Summer Lee who took the conversation further afield.
She accused Republicans of appropriating the phrase ‘two-tiered justice system’ from people of color, shared incarceration rates for blacks versus whites, and veered into a broader discussion about race. She even alluded to a presumed belief in black inferiority and the historical enslavement of black people, ending her discourse with a reference to lynching. Witness Joe Ziegler looked utterly confused as if he’d walked into the wrong hearing.
As allegations against the Biden family continue to emerge, we can expect more such hearings. The question remains, will Democrats be able to top this display of distraction and verbal gymnastics that seem unrelated to the topics at hand? If more hearings are scheduled, they may have to get even more creative in their approaches.
