Former Rep. David Jolly (R-FL) unleashed on his former colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives he claims are wasting time with nebulous hearings instead of focusing on the needs of their constituents.
At issue are Republican demands that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg come in to answer questions about the Trump grand jury. Grand jury investigations are secret, so Bragg couldn't provide any information if he wanted to or not. Congress doesn't have any jurisdiction over Bragg's office. Still, Bragg said in a statement that he would be happy to testify before Congress on any "legitimate legislative inquiry."
Republicans this week are playing out a strategy where they visit prisoners in the D.C. jail as they await trial for their roles in the Jan. 6 insurrection. GOP members have argued that the conditions for the prisoners are unacceptable. However, the D.C. jail has been cited as unacceptable for everyone in it — not just alleged insurrectionists. One judge even went so far as to say that the J6 defendants were actually being treated better than other inmates there.
Meanwhile, ahead of the jail visit, Republicans met with the mother of Ashli Babbitt, who died as she tried to enter the outer office of the House Speaker.
This evening on MSNBC, Dr. Jason Johnson called it inappropriate for lawmakers to try and use Babbitt's mother for their own political purposes.
ALSO IN THE NEWS: Rape kit exam performed on 19-year-old found dead near Murdaugh estate in 2015
"Ashli Babbitt lost her life trying to penetrate the House of Representatives, and police acted within their due course to prevent that," said David Jolly, who was also on MSNBC this evening. "Her mother is a grieving mother. We can give her some license. But understand what Republicans are doing to the mother of Ashli Babbitt, as well as others — they are providing an audience they did not provide to the parents of Parkland victims. Think about that in terms of how that looks for the priorities of today's Republican Party."
Johnson brought up the House GOP Twitter accounts and the inflammatory language they're using to attack Bragg.
"Look, I've seen a Twitter handle occasionally become unhinged," said Johnson. "It's happening more and more since Elon Musk took over. But I can't remember the last time that I saw a federal government congressional committee Twitter handle be turned into basically a slam book."
He noted that the tweets that are being sent out are ultimately going to end up being part of an investigation down the road.
"If there are any questions about your partisanship or ethics? This could be evidence," said Johnson.
"First of all, the House is no longer a serious institution under Republican control," Jolly attacked. "The committee is not a serious committee under Jim Jordan's chairmanship. This is absolutely part of their interference with an active investigation and prosecutorial grand jury decision. We learned from The New York Times, it was a month ago, that Trump's attorneys asked Jim Jordan to please interfere in the Bragg matter. Now we're seeing that others, under the blessing of Kevin McCarthy, say, 'okay, Mr. President, we're going to interfere.'"
Jolly said that it begs the question of what else Trump has asked the Republicans in the House to interfere with since leaving office.
Jolly went on to encourage Democrats to keep playing it the way they have been, remaining quiet about the ordeal and let it play out, allowing Republicans to self-destruct.
"What they do is laser-focus on the republican malfeasance and their abdication of the actual integrity and responsibility of the House of Representatives. nail them to the wall on that," said Jolly "And I would suggest this comes to outside groups, as well. Because the White House is doing the right thing, they're focusing on doing the work of the American people, House Democrats are, as well. But there must be scrutiny and consequences for what House Republicans are doing under Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan, James Comer, and all the other circus participants we get to witness on a daily basis."
See the exchange below or at the link here.
Former GOP lawmaker demands consequences for Republicans in the House www.youtube.com
