TRANSCRIPT: LEADER JEFFRIES FLOOR REMARKS ON EXTREME MAGA REPUBLICAN EFFORT TO CENSURE REPRESENTATIVE BOWMAN
Washington, D.C. – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke on the House Floor about fraudulent attempts by extreme MAGA Republicans to censure Representative Jamaal Bowman:
JEFFRIES: Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this fake, fraudulent and fictitious censure resolution. Proceedings here on the House of Representatives have been a complete and total embarrassment. Extreme MAGA Republicans have stooped to a new low and that is very difficult based on the events that have taken place under this Republican majority throughout this year. Jamaal Bowman has taken public responsibility for the fire alarm incident. He's apologized, explained the circumstances under which it has occurred. He's been held publicly accountable by the DC Superior Court. Paid a $1,000 fine. And the Ethics Committee, on a bipartisan basis here in this Congress, made clear that no further action was required. The Ethics Committee under a Republican Chair.
So why is the author of this resolution and the extreme MAGA Republicans on the floor of the House, wasting time and taxpayer resources trying to undermine the credibility of Jamaal Bowman? Someone who is doing his best to serve his constituents, including in some of the poorest sections of the Bronx. And extreme MAGA Republicans on the floor with this sad and silly charade. Now, the extreme MAGA Republicans have said, including the author of this resolution, that this is about law and order. Give us a break. All you've done is demonstrate throughout the years, including on January 6th and thereafter, that you're not the party of law and order.
Extreme MAGA Republicans are the party of lawlessness and disorder. As a matter of fact, the author of this resolution has endorsed Donald Trump. Multiple indictments. Someone who undertook a crime wave over and over and over again. Proudly smirking now that she stands behind Donald Trump and then wants to communicate to us that this is about law and order, when you are the party of lawlessness and disorder. In fact, the author of this resolution voted to overturn the will of the American people on January 6th, and you know what, came back like the majority of her extreme MAGA Republican colleagues, after the violent insurrection, after the Capitol was overrun by a violent mob, after more than 100 Capitol Police officers were seriously injured and then voted still, not for law and order, not for accountability, not for the Constitution, you voted with the insurrectionists. Lawlessness and disorder. Give us a break. Lecturing us about the Constitution and law and order. Your own record suggests that's a phony argument. Nobody is buying it. The American people aren't buying it. The people of Michigan, we will make sure, won't buy it.
Now extreme MAGA Republicans, it's been very interesting to watch this debate, acting like detectives on the House Floor. Extreme MAGA Republicans pretending to be Perry Mason. Extreme MAGA Republicans pretending to be Matlock. Extreme MAGA Republicans pretending to be Cagney and Lacey, not even worthy of being held to the standard of Inspector Gadget and Ace Ventura Pet Detective. That's how embarrassing your display on the House Floor has been. But this is a serious matter. You have now— this is a serious matter. Your behavior on the House Floor is a serious matter. And I have the Floor. I have the Floor.
Your behavior, the behavior of the extreme MAGA Republicans censuring member after member after member has brought disgrace to the institution, to the House of Representatives. This behavior has brought disgrace, not the underlying censure. There's been accountability in the ways that we've all described. The effort to weaponize the censure, what happened, Mr. Speaker, to civility? To trying to foster an environment where we can solve problems on behalf of the American people?
We don't take these arguments of civility seriously because the overwhelming majority of the extreme MAGA Republican Conference supports the violent insurrectionists and supports the insurrectionist in chief, twice-impeached, under federal indictment – repeatedly – for breaking the law and violating the Constitution. So we're here on the House Floor because extreme MAGA Republicans have no plan. Extreme MAGA Republicans have no policies. Extreme MAGA Republicans have made no progress for hardworking American taxpayers on any issue. And so you're here to try to distract. We're not going to let it happen. We're not going to let extreme MAGA Republicans distract the people of Michigan, distract the people of New York, distract the people of America.
We're on the House Floor, wasting time talking about fire alarms. Not the economy, not inflation, not affordable housing, not lowering costs, not the gun violence epidemic that continues to claim the lives of our young people all across America. Extreme MAGA Republicans have us on the House Floor talking about fire alarms. How silly is that under these circumstances? Social Security is under assault. Medicare is under assault. Reproductive freedom is under assault. The Affordable Care Act is under assault. Democracy itself is under assault and extreme Republicans are wasting time on the House Floor talking about fire alarms under these circumstances, embarrassing themselves. It's petty, it's pathetic and it's petulant.
Now, House Democrats have said from the very beginning of this Congress that we will find bipartisan common ground with our Republican colleagues on any issue, whenever and wherever necessary, in order to make life better for the American people. On any issue. But we will push back against Republican extremism whenever necessary. And you've crossed the line once again. And we will call out MAGA extremism in the loudest, strongest, most direct way possible. And if you're going to continue this extreme MAGA Republican do-nothing Republican Congress, which has done nothing to improve the lives of American people all over the land. This do-nothing Republican Congress, which has failed to solve a single problem on behalf of hardworking American taxpayers. This do-nothing Republican Congress, which has failed to do a single thing to improve the quality of life of the American people.
Extreme MAGA Republicans are continuing to try to weaponize the censure, as is being done on this floor right now, going after Democrats repeatedly week, after week, after week, because you have nothing better to do. Then I volunteer. Censure me next. That's how worthless your effort is. It has no credibility. No integrity. No legitimacy. Censure me next. And I'll take that censure and I'll wear it next week, next month, next year like a badge of honor. Go home, sleep well and say to myself, today was a good day. I yield back.
Full speech can be watched here.