Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) is perhaps one of my favorite senators to watch in action. He has wit and charm that few others can match, and he can destroy the left with surgical precision.
This week, Kennedy made a point to get the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on record condemning the racist attacks that members of their own party have levied against Justice Clarence Thomas. One specific attack cited came from Keith Ellison, a former congressman, deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, and current attorney general of Minnesota.
Naturally, Senate Democrats were reluctant to do so.
“I don’t understand the reluctance to accept the fact that Justice Clarence Thomas, who happens to be a black man, has been the butt of modern racist statements. And I don’t understand the reluctance to condemn those,” Kennedy said. “And that’s what my amendment does. I don’t want to water it down. I don’t want to bubble-wrap it. I don’t want to sugarcoat it. I want to say, big as Dallas: The United States Senate condemns all these racist things that have been said about Justice Clarence Thomas.”
During the hearing, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) actually urged his fellow Democrats not to support the amendment, which really got Kennedy going.
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“How can you not condemn a statement calling Justice Thomas a ‘house slave,’” Kennedy asked. “Come on, folks, that’s all this amendment does! I mean, does anybody here support that kind of rhetoric? I don’t. I don’t think you do. And this kind of rhetoric hasn’t been directed toward John Roberts. It hasn’t been directed toward Neil Gorsuch. It’s been directed toward Clarence Thomas. And it’s un-American. It’s unconscionable. And I can’t believe we wouldn’t condemn it.”
Whitehouse then claimed that his issue was that the amendment also asked the Biden administration to enforce existing laws about the intimidation of judges and justices.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) later chimed in, pointing out the ridiculousness of Whitehouse’s argument, pointing out that according to Whitehouse, “the part that is offensive of this [amendment] is it calls on the Department of Justice to enforce the law.”
Cruz continued, “Just stop and repeat that to yourself again. So it is now the position of Democrats that it is unacceptable to ask the Department of Justice to enforce the law.”
You either condemn the racist attacks on Justice Clarence Thomas, or you don’t.
After a long discussion today, my Democrat colleagues on the Judiciary Committee finally agreed to condemn the disgusting racism that many have aimed at Justice Thomas. pic.twitter.com/tBptrybb0q
— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) July 20, 2023
Despite the resistance from Democrats, Kennedy’s shaming had the desired effect. The amendment passed unanimously in the committee.
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