Politics

Watch Ted Cruz’s Reaction As Fellow GOP Senator Josh Hawley Grills Democrat Dick Durbin

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz could barely contain his excitement as fellow Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley grilled Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin for alleging certain republican senators were prejudiced. [Screenshot X Josh Hawley]

[Screenshot X Josh Hawley]

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz could barely contain his excitement as fellow Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley grilled Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin for alleging certain Republican senators were prejudiced.

Before handing the floor to Hawley, Durbin criticized an earlier hearing in December in which he claims a “new low” was reached after Republicans criticized Adeel Mangi, who was nominated to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Durbin said the “starting point” of the criticism was because of Mangi’s Muslim faith.

“Mr. Chairman, I was not gonna say anything, because I asked quite a few questions of Mr.Mangi and so I thought I made my views clear, but I have to say, after you, a moment ago, not only read that letter to the record, which you’re perfectly entitled to do, but before you did that, you said that those of us who had questioned Mr. Mangi on that day took this committee to a new low — ” Hawley said before Durbin appears to have said something off camera.

“Oh yes you did,” Hawley said. (RELATED: The New York Times Implies Islam Is A Race)

“I didn’t name names,” Durbin said.

“Oh, you didn’t name names? You said those of us who questioned him took it to a new low,” Hawley fired back as Cruz was seen laughing and nodding in agreement.

“Some did,” Durbin said.

“That would be those of us on this side. And I did question him on that day and frankly, I resent the insinuation that those of us who asked him questions are somehow anti-Muslim or prejudiced in some way. I think it’s outrageous. I think it’s absolutely outrageous. And frankly, as someone who has worked across the aisle on any number of pieces of legislation … but I have to say, it’s hard to do when you call us anti-Muslim racists which is basically what you just did a moment ago … My issue with Mr. Mangi is, I don’t care what his religion is or if he has a religion, I don’t care.”

“But I do care that he was the director of a center that was basically a mouthpiece for Hamas. And he said over and over all his concerns were academic. My question is, did he not have concerns about Jewish students? We’ve seen Jewish students barricaded in libraries after October 7 … did he not think that a center which actively promotes genocidal rhetoric might have some effect on the students he was supposed to be helping?”

During the Dec. 13 hearing, Mangi refused to answer, several times, whether Israel is a “violent, settler, colonial state,” when repeatedly asked by Hawley.

This isn’t the first time Hawley has taken someone to task, check out these other examples:

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Hawley Blasts DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas: