A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing exploded into chaos on Thursday when ranking member Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) went after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Leahy claimed in a fiery rant that Graham and other Republicans were breaking the rules of the Senate.
“I’d like to think [the rules] mean something,” Leahy said. “I’d like to think we can rely on them. But even though every Republican and Democrat voted for ’em, these rules are on the verge of becoming meaningless.”
In a truly strange moment, Leahy physically ripped up a copy of the rules of the Senate.
“The same Republicans who voted for [the rules] six months ago say ‘the heck with it,’” Leahy said. “Tear ’em up! Tear ’em up! That’s what we’re doing! Just tear ’em up!”
As is usual with leftists, Leahy’s ended up talking about President Donald Trump.
“This is supposed to be the Senate Judiciary Committee, not the Donald Trump committee,” he said.
Leahy later took to Twitter to share his rant and to further explain his frustrations.
“Chairman Graham just broke FOUR committee rules in order to advance Pres. Trump’s bill to lock up immigrant children INDEFINITELY. Rules every Republican voted for 6 months ago. Rules I always respected as chairman. They might as well rip them up. So I did it for them,” Leahy wrote when sharing the video of him ripping a physical copy of the Senate rules.
Chairman Graham just broke FOUR committee rules in order to advance Pres. Trump’s bill to lock up immigrant children INDEFINITELY. Rules every Republican voted for 6 months ago. Rules I always respected as chairman.
They might as well rip them up. So I did it for them. pic.twitter.com/SCjnFLSOtE
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) August 1, 2019
Leahy didn’t stop there.
“Democrats had many serious, substantive proposals for how to fix the problems that plague our immigration system and border. We filed over 100 amendments. Graham broke every rule and didn’t allow us to offer any,” he continued.
Democrats had many serious, substantive proposals for how to fix the problems that plague our immigration system and border. We filed over 100 amendments. Graham broke every rule and didn’t allow us to offer any. Here’s a couple I wanted to offer—
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) August 1, 2019
The senator then shared some of his “proposals.”
“The Committee should start the immigration reform debate where we left off in 2013. Then, as chairman, I held five markups and 30 hours of debate. We considered 100s of amendments, and accepted almost 50 from Republicans. That’s why we received 68 bipartisan votes on the floor,” he wrote.
The Committee should start the immigration reform debate where we left off in 2013. Then, as chairman, I held five markups and 30 hours of debate. We considered 100s of amendments, and accepted almost 50 from Republicans. That’s why we received 68 bipartisan votes on the floor.
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) August 1, 2019
He added, “Even Chairman Graham this morning acknowledged that we need to deal with the conditions in the Northern Triangle. I wanted to offer the Central America Reform and Enforcement Act to do just that. Graham didn’t allow it.”
Even Chairman Graham this morning acknowledged that we need to deal with the conditions in the Northern Triangle. I wanted to offer the Central America Reform and Enforcement Act to do just that. Graham didn't allow it.
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) August 1, 2019
In another tweet, Leahy suggested that “cruelty” may be the point of Trump’s immigration policies.
“If ‘the cruelty is the point’ of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, allowing for the indefinite detention of children would be its posterchild. I wanted to introduce an amendment stripping indefinite detention from the Graham bill. Graham didn’t allow it,” he tweeted.
If “the cruelty is the point” of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, allowing for the indefinite detention of children would be its posterchild. I wanted to introduce an amendment stripping indefinite detention from the Graham bill. Graham didn't allow it.
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) August 1, 2019
We've all seen the pictures of the awful conditions in CBP custody. I’ve seen them first-hand. I wanted to create a multi-agency migrant processing center to reduce overcrowding and speed processing. This should be a nonpartisan no-brainer. Graham didn't allow it.
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) August 1, 2019
In his most ridiculous tweet, Leahy actually claimed that Democrats are ready to work with Republicans to solve the border crisis.
“And all this for a bill that will NEVER BECOME LAW. We all agree we need a secure border. We all agree migrants must be treated humanely. Dems stand ready to work with Rs in good faith, like I did as chairman in 2013. Today’s partisan fiasco did nothing to solve these issues,” he wrote.
And all this for a bill that will NEVER BECOME LAW. We all agree we need a secure border. We all agree migrants must be treated humanely. Dems stand ready to work with Rs in good faith, like I did as chairman in 2013. Today’s partisan fiasco did nothing to solve these issues.
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) August 1, 2019
Though Graham has not responded directly to Leahy’s tweets, he did write about his bill: “I will no longer allow our asylum laws to be exploited by human traffickers and cartels. Unless we change our laws we are aiding and abetting the horrific practices we now see taking place at the southern border. My bill fixes these problems.”
I will no longer allow our asylum laws to be exploited by human traffickers and cartels.
Unless we change our laws we are aiding and abetting the horrific practices we now see taking place at the southern border.
My bill fixes these problems.
WATCH:https://t.co/5eiMegJEKU
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 1, 2019
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Zachary Leeman is originally from Maine, he served in the United States Army Reserve for six years. He currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
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