California Democratic Representative Maxine Waters brilliantly shut down a GOP Representative who was trying to get her to condemn socialism during Wednesday's House Rules Committee hearing.
Guy Reschenthaler, a Republican Representative for Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district, repeatedly attempted and failed to persuade Waters to get on-board with a non-binding resolution that “denounces socialism in all its forms, and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States of America."
Reschenthaler invoked the names of foreign dictators and asked Waters:
"You know what Putin, Kim Jong Un and Xi have in common, right?"
But he did not get the response he was setting her up for, which was communism.
In response to what the three dictators Reschenthaler mentioned had in common, Waters simply replied:
"Trump."
She added that the former Republican President Donald Trump loved Kim Jong Un.
\u201cReschenthaler: You can\u2019t condemn socialism? You know what Putin, Kim Jong Un and Xi have in common, right?\n\nWaters: Trump\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
After her reply elicited chuckles in the room, Reschenthaler asked Waters:
"Would you like to denounce any communist leaders?"
Waters–who has been a ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee since 2019–told him she didn't exactly understand his question.
Instead of answering his question, Waters mentioned Trump's veneration of Kim Jong Un, who was mentioned in the resolution being discussed.
She continued:
“Regarding North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump said Kim ‘wrote me beautiful letters, and they’re great letters and we fell in love.’”
She then asked Reschenthaler:
"You sure you want to hear the rest of this?”
People had plenty to say over their exchange.
\u201c@Acyn Bazinga!! She basically handed him his rear end. Any lawyer knows you never ask a question when you don't know what answer you'll get.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
\u201c@Acyn This dimwit really thinks Putin and Xi are socialists?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
\u201c@Acyn @Stonekettle He is implying that communism and socialism are synonymous. I wouldn't take him seriously, either.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
\u201c@Acyn I hate that this guy is my congressman\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
When Reschenthaler proposed going down a list of atrocities for Waters to denounce them or not, Waters said she would rather condemn the resolution "and ask that we all give attention to the very short time that we have to do the people's work."
Reschenthaler then pivoted to Chinese communist revolutionary Mao Zedong being responsible for tens of millions of people starving to death and asked Waters if she denounced him, "yes or no."
“But Trump loves him,” she replied. “That’s your leader.”
He fired back:
“Do you denounce the genocide and starvation in communist China?”
Waters continued:
“Trump is your leader. He speaks for you. He says he loves him.”
\u201c@Acyn As an older person and former Republican I just want to point out that calling Democrats socialists when they hold the WH is a recurrent theme.\nWhat's new are the fascist aspects of the Republican Party.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
Reschenthaler went on to mention Stalin, telling Waters:
"Tens of millions died. Do you want to denounce that? Yes or no?”
Waters had enough and told him:
“I’m sorry, I don’t deal with yes or no questions."
\u201c@Acyn She still gives them grace after she has burnt them to ashes. \ud83d\ude02\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
And when Reschenthaler asked Waters to explain her support of the Soviet Union leader, she flipped the question back at him.
“No, why don’t you explain it," she said.
People cheered for the Democratic Congresswoman.
\u201c@Acyn Maxine for the win!\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
\u201c@Acyn @Ordinarybrotha Dude was seriously out matched here \ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
\u201c@Acyn Also Waters:\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1675298516
Waters proceeded to unload on the GOP for continuously championing their party's 2024 presidential front-runner, Donald Trump, despite his loss in the 2020 election, perpetuating unfounded claims of a stolen election, and for inciting the January 6 insurrection.
“Your Republican leader, Donald Trump, is friends with, and supports Putin. Kim Jong Un, he loves him," said the California Congresswoman.
"And he led this country in being basically undermined by Jan. 6, including…telling his supporters to go after our own police officers here and use the American flag.”
“I haven’t heard one denouncement on the Republican side. Nobody has denounced that.”
She addressed the Republicans in the room, asking:
“Are you afraid of Trump? Do you agree with Trump? Ask him the questions, don’t ask me.”
Waters earlier stated:
“The American public is going to wonder why Republicans are wasting our time today with this divisive resolution instead of focusing on the real threats to our economy and democracy."
“What is this all about? Is it about saying you want to cut Social Security? You want to cut Medicare? You don’t care about the debt ceiling? Please.”
You can watch the House Rules Committee hearing in the clip below, starting around the 32:50 mark.
Rules Committee Hearing on H. Con. Res. 9youtu.be
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