Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has served on the House Oversight Committee for months now and has not missed a single hearing. During that time, she’s observed House Republicans call some truly pathetic witnesses to testify on their behalf.
On Wednesday, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta testified before a House Education and Labor Committee hearing and displayed his total ignorance about women’s health when grilled about his effort to deprive women of access to contraceptive care.
Acosta introduced new rules giving employers the ability to opt-out of contraceptive coverage. Those rules have been blocked by the courts because many women rely on contraceptives, not just to prevent pregnancy, but to treat other serious medical conditions.
Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to comment on Acosta’s “mediocrity” as a witness.
The mediocrity is astounding.
How would these guys like it if Gov was 80% female, constantly looking for ways to limit or outlaw condoms + vasectomies, yet had little/no medical context?
Sounds crazy? The flipside is what women & LGBTQ+ people have to deal w/ ALL the time. ??♀️ https://t.co/6GfysHlNFD
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
On Thursday, she doubled down by noting that Republicans often call absolutely pathetic witnesses to testify on their behalf. One such witness had the gall to insist that fossil fuels are “healthy” for humans.
One of the things that genuinely surprised me in Congress is the sheer mediocrity of witnesses called forth by the GOP in hearings.
Yesterday they brought in a guy w/ a polka dot bowtie backed by oil lobbyists arguing that fossil fuels are “healthy.” HEALTHY.
It’s embarrassing. https://t.co/B17AsEZuCP
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
She then mocked Republicans.
I honestly thought GOP witnesses would be well-prepared, w/ sophisticated arguments for the opposing view – evil-genius lobbyist types.
But they’re often sloppy + reaching (not all though). I think if everyday GOP voters saw the witnesses called on their behalf, they’d be upset.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
And this kind of thing is happening in all committees. Recently, Republicans enlisted conservative pundit Candace Owens to testify during a hearing on white nationalism only to find herself humiliated by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) when he exposed her past praise of Hitler.
Meanwhile, Democrats brought in a literal expert on white nationalism to testify during the hearing.
In fact, Democrats usually do bring in actual experts who provide fact-based analysis to committees while Republicans bring in witnesses who are willing to embarrass themselves by sticking to a false narrative that is fact-free.
When Republicans bring in bad witnesses it only weakens their position and strengthens Democratic credibility on a myriad of issues from climate change to women’s rights to drug prices and healthcare.
And all of this is on tape for all Americans to witness for themselves. Ocasio-Cortez highlighting it just gives us more reasons to play close attention to these hearings.
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