During a House Committee on the Judiciary hearing on Friday, Democratic Congressman Chair Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) confronted newly-elected Rep. Burgess Owens, of Utah, for attempting to lecture Democrats on “patriotism,” reminding the GOP lawmaker of his role in the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Jeffries’s blistering takedown of Burgess came after the Utah Republican proposed reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and lectured his new colleagues about “patriotism.”
“I was hoping to engage with the new distinguished gentleman from Utah as he sat here lecturing us about patriotism. And I was just going to ask him how he voted after a violent mob attacked the Capitol to hunt down members of Congress, and to hang Mike Pence, to assassinate Nancy Pelosi, to stop us from undertaking our constitutional responsibilities as part of the peaceful transfer of power, with more than 100 officers seriously injured — brain injuries, head trauma, one officer lost three fingers, another officer, because of an assault on him, is likely to be blind. Officer Brian Sicknick died, blood was spilled, and two other officers are no longer with us,” Jeffries said.
He added: “And you want to sit here and lecture us about patriotism? When you voted to object to an election that you know Joe Biden won, and perpetrated the big lie?” he continued. “But the notion of you coming here lecturing us on your first day before this committee, it’s not about words it’s about actions?” Jeffries said. “You know what? Explain your actions on January 7th. When you supported an insurrection.”
Watch the exchange below:
This is 🔥 🔥 🔥. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) drags Utah’s new Trump-supporting Black Republican (@BurgessOwens) for coming in on his first day and lecturing Democrats about patriotism when Owens voted to overturn the November election even after the Capitol insurrection. pic.twitter.com/mJ7cUJ0RSH
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 6, 2021
