On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing on gun violence, where Democratic Rep. Katie Porter clashed with gun advocate Amy Swearer of the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Appearing as a witness for Republicans, Swearer insisted that Porter had accused her of perjury regarding assault weapons legislation.
“Would you like the explanation?” Swearer asked.
“I have not yielded, Ms. Swearer.”
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) interrupted to complain that Swearer was not permitted to speak. But the chair ruled that Biggs was out of order.
“I have been accused of falsely testifying under oath and I would like to address it!” Swearer demanded.
“Earlier today, you testified you hope this is the last time you have to testify before this Congress,” Porter pointed out. “For the sake of our nation and the integrity of this Congress, I do too.”
“I said after a mass shooting,” Swearer shot back, “trying to figure out how to solve a problem that we are heavily invested in solving.”
“How dare you?” the witness asked.
“Reclaiming my time,” Porter said. “How dare you misstate the law?”
“How dare you ask questions that you do not even want the answer to?” Swearer gasped.
“Ms. Swearer, I’m moving on,” Porter remarked before laying out some hard facts about gun violence in our country:
“From 2015 to 2020. There were at least 2070 unintentional shootings by children 765 of those children died. A consumer product that causes this much harm to the public would normally be subject to a recall,” Porter said. “But federal law prohibits the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency responsible for protecting the public from dangerous products, from regulating guns.”
“This is absurd,” she declared. After one child died using a peloton treadmill last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission intervene and will be called the product, but when hundreds of children die using guns, there is no federal response. There’s no federal safety standards for guns.”
Porter’s remarks were widely praised online, with many calling her a “national treasure.”
Watch the videos from the House Oversight Committee and some of the reactions below.
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) calls out Heritage Foundation legal analyst Amy Swearer for misleading the public about the impact of the House gun control bill.
Swearer: “How dare you?”
Porter: “How dare you misstate the law?” pic.twitter.com/EjXUOgimvT
— The Recount (@therecount) June 8, 2022
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) on 765 unintentional shooting deaths by children between 2015 and 2020:
"After 1 child died using a Peloton treadmill last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission intervened… When hundreds of children die using guns, there is no federal response." pic.twitter.com/aibHTwOz0W
— The Recount (@therecount) June 8, 2022
Katie Porter: “I respect that we have different opinions, but we cannot have different facts.”
— Ottawa Gemmells (@OttawaGemmells) June 8, 2022
Moral is, don't fuck with Katie Porter. Love her more and more. A good presidential candidate. https://t.co/f1G79wkAdv
— Betsy (@Hardboppin) June 8, 2022
Let Katie Porter run everything. https://t.co/YpbFQWB8Av
— Gary Cogill (@garycogill) June 8, 2022
I know she doesn't represent my district, but Congresswoman Katie Porter is the definition OF A TOTAL BADASS!! When she pulls out her whiteboard, YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST LAY DOWN AND SURRENDER, cause she will school you
— Scott (@Sharksfan48) June 8, 2022
Katie Porter is a national treasure. https://t.co/8AxY2opdR8
— NoNameNeeded (@S4KlB) June 8, 2022
In a world full of Lauren Boebert’s and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s…
Be like Katie Porter.— Liberal Lisa in Oklahoma (@lisa_liberal) June 8, 2022
Do not mess with Katie Porter.
-She is neither afraid nor intimidated by ANYONE!!— Syimon Templar😇 (@SyimonTemplar) June 8, 2022
I 💕Katie Porter!! https://t.co/xaldR99XvS
— Tea Lyteful (@Tea54177855) June 8, 2022
I love Katie Porter!!! No one can get their point across like her. And she doesn’t take shit from anyone!!💙
— Barb (@baw064) June 8, 2022
Whew… and this is what they do. Katie Porter caught Amy Swearer in a lie, and instead of saying "you're right, I could have said that with more accuracy" or whatever, she got some hurt feelings that outside her bubble, an informed adult with power called out her lie. https://t.co/nbC8iOuUpx
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️⚧️🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) June 8, 2022
Katie Porter is the smartest Representative in the House. I never get tired of listening to her. She'll make a great President.
— Patrick M McCormick (@DreamMaster1944) June 8, 2022
