I know that Whitaker has been feisty this morning, but they are not even allowing him to answer a question if without a lot of back and forth. It’s gotten to the point that Sheila Jackson-Lee actually scolded him for not answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Watch:
NEW: “Mr. Attorney General, we're not joking here, and your humor is not acceptable," Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee tells Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker in contentious moment. "I need to have my time restored so that you can behave appropriately." https://t.co/4vh4SSGWcp pic.twitter.com/W3Rd0ojZaC
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) February 8, 2019
When they interrupted and demanded that he answer the question, he had literally just answered the question.
Whitaker said what sounded like “Congresswoman I have not appeared here before” and Nadler cut him off, slamming his gavel and yelling that “the witness will answer the question as asked please”.
If I were him I would have said “I just did.”
But then he got lectured for not answering yes or not like he was a little kid or something.
A Republican interrupted and said that it’s the witness’ prerogative whether to answer yes or no to a question and then pointed out that Holder did the same thing when he was before Congress, asking Nadler where was he when that happened. Great point.
I am so glad to see the Democrats getting exactly what they’ve been dishing out for so long and glad Whitaker isn’t playing the duck during this kabuki theater. He knows he’s only got one more week left so it looks like he feels he doesn’t have much to lose.