This week, Congress made headlines after both chambers returned to Washington for the first time in weeks. In addition, John Bolton raised eyebrows after admitting to being involved in planning “coups,” and first lady Jill Biden found herself becoming a top target of Republican criticism after comparing Latinos to “breakfast tacos.” Here are the quotes of the week.
“I want to recognize that your line of questioning is transphobic and it opens up trans people to violence.”
– Khiara Bridges, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, accuses Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) of transphobia for suggesting that only women can become pregnant during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on abortion.
“Look, it’s a free country. We’ve got 330 million people, and who knows who’s going to start talking about ‘24?”
– Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) isn’t too excited about the prospect of another White House run by former President Donald Trump, arguing that his party’s focus should remain on winning congressional majorities in the midterm elections.
“I disagree with that. As somebody who has helped plan coups d’etat, not here but other places, it takes a lot of work.”
– Ex-Trump national security adviser John Bolton makes a stunning confession in response to a quip by CNN’s Jake Tapper that “one doesn’t have to be brilliant to attempt a coup.”
“The diversity of this community, as distinct as the bogidas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio, is your strength.”
– First lady Jill Biden makes waves after comparing Latinos to “breakfast tacos” at a “LatinX IncluXion” event in San Antonio.
“I was actually walking over to deck him because if no one will protect us, then I’ll do it myself, but I needed to catch a vote more than a case today.”
– Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) says she was about “to deck” a right-wing provocateur who harassed and catcalled her on the Capitol steps.
“It is deeply disturbing and tragic that President Biden is choosing instead to use his power as President of the United States to promote and facilitate abortion in our country, seeking every possible avenue to deny unborn children their most basic human and civil right, the right to life. … I implore the president to abandon this path that leads to death and destruction and to choose life.”
– Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who chairs the U.S. Catholic bishops’ anti-abortion committee, denounces President Joe Biden’s new executive order protecting abortion access.
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“You’ll get [the microphone] back. But you’ll get it back to talk about something besides reading pornography into a public television set.”
– Clay County School District attorney J. Bruce Bickner admonishes a local father during a school board meeting for reading graphic excerpts from a book available to students in several of the district’s school libraries.
“Ron DeSantis is a great guy, been a great governor, but it was Donald Trump who destroyed ISIS, who killed Soleimani, who secured the border, nobody else.”
– Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) puts his eggs in Trump’s basket for 2024.
“Pandering to homophobic narratives in the hopes of being reelected is truly despicable and demeaning to the congressional office.”
– In a lawsuit filed against Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Phoenix resident Leslie Hammon accuses the congressman of defamation for allegedly producing a campaign ad insinuating that Hammon is in a same-sex relationship with Schweikert’s GOP primary rival.
“We’re not going to negotiate a woman’s right to choose. … You can’t be a little bit pregnant in this.”
– House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tells reporters that she’s not willing to negotiate with Republican senators to craft a scaled-back version of a wide-ranging abortion rights bill that passed the House this week.
“I said, ‘Chuck, until we see the July inflation figures, until we see the July Federal Reserve interest rates — then let’s wait until that comes out so we know that we’re going down the path that won’t be inflammatory to add more to inflation.’ … He took that as no, I guess, and came out with this big thing last night.”
– Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) denies recent reports that he pulled out of negotiations on Democrats’ reconciliation bill, claiming that he just wanted to wait and see July’s inflation numbers before proceeding.
“I haven’t stopped using my voice since to condemn [Trump’s] lies & unfitness for office. I remain a conservative who believes in limited federal government & a robust national defense.”
– Ex-Trump White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah says she’s still a conservative in her response to a National Review article questioning her views.
“All I’m doing is trying to defend parents. … The reality is Americans are sick of some of these companies and their stupid activism.”
– Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) defends his state’s so-called Don’t Say Gay law at the Moms for Liberty National Summit in Tampa, Florida, amid harsh criticism from Disney and other corporations.
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“God love you, what a silly question. How could I possibly be sure of any of that? I just made it clear if anything occurs like that again, they’ll get that response and much more.”
– Joe Biden laughs off a question during a press conference in Saudi Arabia when asked whether he could ensure that a similar incident to the grisly death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi wouldn’t happen again.
