During a hearing on police reform this Wednesday, things got heated as Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) recounted his experience with the police as a black male. He chided his colleagues continuing to introduce amendments that amount to a "tangent and a distraction from what we're talking about."
"You all are white males, you've never lived in my shoes, and you do not know what it's like to be an African American," Richmond said, later asking them not to "make a mockery of the pain being experienced in my community."
As Richmond was speaking, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) interjected.
"Are you suggesting that you're certain that none of us have non-white children? Gaetz asked.
"Matt, stop!" Richmond fired back. "I'm not about to get sidetracked by the color of our children. ... I already know there are people on the other side that have black grandchildren. It is not about the color of your kids. It is about black males, black people in the streets that are getting killed, and if one of them happens to be your kid, I'm concerned about him too -- and clearly I'm more concerned about him than you are."
"You're claiming you have more concern for my family than I do?" Gaetz thundered back. "Who in the hell do you think you are?"
Watch the full exchange below:
