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Congress hearing on police reform becomes a shouting match over race [Video]

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:


  • Democrat Representative Cedric Richmond and Republican Representative Matt Gaetz got into a heated argument during a Judiciary House Committee hearing on a Democrat-based police reform bill, Wednesday.
  • Richmond began his address by saying he was dismayed by Republicans who wanted to include “unnecessary” amendments on the Democrat-backed bill on law enforcement which was interfered shortly by Gaetz.
  • Judiciary Committee Chairman Representative Jerry Nadler called for order to end the verbal dispute between the two congressmen.

A House hearing on Judiciary Committee on Wednesday went into an aggressive verbal feud between Louisiana Democrat Representative Cedric Richmond and Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz.

During the Wednesday hearing, Richmond started his speech by saying he was “offended and angry as hell” by Republicans who wanted to alter a Democrat-backed police reform bill through incorporating inessential amendments like the antifa movement. 

Democrat lawmakers unveiled the bill earlier this month as an effort to overhaul the law enforcement system in the country that has long been dealing with issues of racism and police misconduct — sparked by the fatal death of George Floyd in Minnesota last May and the brutal killing of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky in March, among many others.

“You all are white men who have never lived in my shoes and you do not know what it is like to be an African American male,” said Richmond, who is Black. 

“And if you are opposed, let’s just have the vote. But please do not come into this committee and make a mockery of the pain that exists in my community.”

Afterwards, Gaetz, who is white and a well-known ally of President Donald Trump, butted in. “I appreciate your passion. Are you suggesting none of us have non-white children?”

Richmond then recognized that there are Republicans who also have black grandchildren. 

Then he added, “It is about Black males, Black people in the streets that are getting killed, and if one of them happens to be your kid, I am concerned about them too. And clearly I am more concerned about him than you are.”

Gaetz then immediately fired back and told Richmond, “You are claiming you have more concern for your family than I do? Who in the hell do you think you are? That is outrageous.”

“Was that a nerve?” Richmond responded.

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“You’re damn right that was a nerve,” Gaetz said as Judiciary Committee Chairman Representative Jerry Nadler already called for order.

Gaetz demanded that Richmond’s words should be stricken from the record. He also described Richmond’s complaints of unnecessary amendments as “insincere” and said that Republicans are doing it “in good faith.”

Richmond said: “People are demanding action right now,” as he does not want to see a “watered-down bill” in the midst of a national crisis, he explained.

Source: AOL.com

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