The awful display of vitriol and abuse of power by House Judiciary Committee Democrats as they questioned Attorney General William Barr last week comes from the heritage of misusing official position and power bequeathed by the Clinton and Obama administrations.
From IRS targeting of conservative organizations to White House sanctioning of spying on the Trump campaign by the national intelligence community, the Democrats and the radical left have become comfortable with using the apparatus of government to attack their political adversaries.
The viciousness with which Democrats attacked Barr offers a glimpse into what authoritarians view as fairness and civility.
Ostensibly, Barr had been brought before the House Judiciary panel because the committee has oversight responsibility over the Department of Justice. Normally, members ask questions and give the witness an opportunity to answer. Many times, because members on the committee are only allotted five minutes, they simply make a short speech about issues related to the witness’s agency and leave it at that.
But during the Barr hearing, we saw Democrats utilize the weird device of making speeches disguised as questions. If Barr ever showed the temerity to start to answer a question, his Democratic interlocutor would loudly interrupt with, “Reclaiming my time,” or brusquely exclaim, “This is my time!” Well, if you didn’t want to hear an answer, why ask a question?
The interrupting was rude and embarrassing, evincing coarseness and a sincerely deficient lack of intellectual curiosity. The motivation, apparently, for bringing the attorney general to the committee was not to discuss the status, deficiencies, or progress of the Justice Department, but to hassle and harangue the man to his face and, if possible, embarrass President Trump in some way or another.
One ought not forget that a sub-theme of the meeting was to lay a foundation to impeach the attorney general. Before the hearing even began, a committee member had already filed a resolution calling for his impeachment.
In short, having failed to successfully remove Trump, the Left has resorted to attacking any who work with him, defend him, or support him.
This same motif that moved through the Clinton and Obama administrations — the use of one’s official position to attack political enemies. These abusive officials are then given cover by the leftists in the media and in academia.
After hours of calling Barr names and treating him with abuse, one Democrat had the gall to say, “I’m surprised at your lack of respect for a member of Congress.” Another said, “I am starting to lose my temper.” Chairman Jerry Nadler, having delayed the start of the hearing for over an hour, refused to let Barr take a five-minute break. Believe me, those are just a few of the Democrats’ immature antics at this show-trial.
Their actions demonstrated how dangerous it is when leftists wrest control of one of the most important committees in Congress. They use it to abuse individuals and, without a sense of self-awareness, they attack without mercy, compassion, or humanity. Heaven help us if they get control of the executive branch and both arms of the legislative branch. No one will be safe from their medieval view of government.
Andy Biggs represents Arizona’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
