Even before Elizabeth Warren testified yesterday before the House Oversight Committee, Representative Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) told CNBC he "questioned the veracity" of Ms. Warren's answers to Congress (video here). Mr. McHenry went on to say the consumer watchdog was essentially lying about an agreement she had with the committee about how long she'd be asked to stay at the hearing. Ms. Warren's face froze in disbelief.
Immediately, the ranking Democrat, Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, chided Mr. McHenry. Later, Representative John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky) apologized on behalf of the committee. (The full video of the confrontation is here, and worth watching.)
Since then, Mr. McHenry's Facebook page has been flooded with complaints, drawing what some are seeing as a rather ironic call for civility from his staff. As Ari Berman noted today in The Nation, this is par for the course for a congressman who followed the example of disgraced former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. From Berman's 2006 piece on "All DeLay's Children":
DeLay recently named McHenry one of his potential successors, an endorsement the freshman accepted enthusiastically. "I'm blown away," McHenry told the Washington Times. "I'm so excited that Tom DeLay would say that about me" -- a fitting compliment to a pupil who's earned a reputation as the party's "attack-dog-in-training."
Washington Monthly also profiled Mr. McHenry in 2005, and today, Steve Benen looked at this more broadly:
This is consistent with the larger right-wing pattern. Republicans are disgusted with a consumer advocate, looking out for the public’s interest, but impressed with financial industry criminals who nearly destroyed the global economy (and who direct generous contributions to the GOP’s coffers). Sanity dictates that Warren is a hero, which leads Republicans to treat her like a villain.
But it’s not just the bizarre and twisted GOP priorities that offend; it’s also the classless and rude manner in which Republicans conduct themselves.
Given how Rep. McHenry's and other Republican critics behaved yesterday, I'm not sure Ms. Warren could have "soothed" them with anything other than "I quit."
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The Republicans lost the thin veneer of civility and decorum long ago.
FDR:
When the Republicans foam at the mouth you know you're on the right track.
It's an old - very old - tactic. Treat a woman [fill in any minority] with total disdain and disrespect and when s/he speaks up for her/im/self, call her/im a raving lunatic not fit to [fill in the blank].
Ms. Warren didn't fall for it. Good on her!
Yo, McHenry, YouTawkenaMe? I don't think so.
"If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself you should say: 'He obviously does not know me very well, since there are so many other faults he could have mentioned.'" - Epictetus
Hurts to be wrongfully accused but as the Blacksmith said when kicked by a jackass..."Considering the source it doesnt hurt so bad!"
Actualy,this could be considered a compliment!
To be worthy of attack by THAT pack of(as Bugs would say)"Morooooons" means that you MUST be doing something RIGHT!!
And for THAT we thank you!
mmediately, the ranking Democrat, Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, chided Mr. McHenry. Later, Representative John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky) apologized on behalf of the committee.
Well good on you Elijah, but we know you would stand up.
but have to give credit where its due and say good on you Rep. Yarmuth. good job.
I find it very disconcerting that Mr. Yarmuth had to apologize for Mr. McHenry's behaviour. Mr. McHenry should issue a formal apology asap. That is.. if he knows how.
These people can not spell civility!!
I am extremely pleased with the way Ms. Warren conducted herself. I am equally as appalled at the way she was treated by Mr. McHenry, especially on so trivial a matter as scheduling. He would do well to remind himself of the manners required of him by the office he holds.
True. Did he get so mad because of party affiliation? Or imagine what would happen if he was talking about something much bigger than scheduling and there was a conflict. If he got this angry over something as petty as scheduling (that can be redone easily and Ms. Warren was ready to clear up), what would happen if the issue was a larger one?
Just wondering what the number of times McHenry changed the time of the meeting - wouldn't that be 'dithering'? Or possibly, the fact that she told him when she had to LEAVE for another meeting, he wasn't listening. I'd far and way believe the 2nd as the first. Apparently his crown slid off his head onto his brain and froze it.
Shouldn't she be given the same respect as a criminal's right to a fair and speedy trial?
Andi, et al: these thugs are confusing partisanship with propriety. Their ilk did the same rude thing in the MN legislature, when the parents of the gay soldier who died in Afghanistan testified...ignored, shuffled papers, Twittered. I would blame it upon the freshman class of TeaParty folk who were just elected to Congress and don't know "the rules" but Rep. McHenry is a committee chair, which means he has some seniority and ought to know better. They're all acting like a pack of un-housebroken yay-hoos and would merit worse than fanswats in my home!
She displayed her superior intellect and make the republicans look foolish and uninformed.
The whole problem the Republicans have with Elizabeth Warren is that she knows what she's talking about. They, obviously, do not. She's been a consumer advocate who has a proven record of telling it like it is. She is smart, honest and good at what she does. That of course, is not what they want in charge of Consumer Affairs.
DO the morons on the right, REALIZE they are on TAPE??????????????? I mean really???? DO they realize, there is this thing called the internet and this stuff goes viral?
UGH....Ms. Warren handled herself very well.,...that idiot McHenry came off like...well...AN uncouth IDIOT!
I think they have just gotten away with it for so long that they don't think anyone will call them out on it- so they won't face any real consequences. He won't face a reprimand or anything of the sort by his peers, I'm sure.
The Republicans do not care if they are on tape. They are bullies who feel no social pressures to properly behave.
Not they don't. The GOP has done so well ignoring the fact that they are on video, audio or photographed when they are saying and stupid things, they lie constantly. I wish the rest of the media would do what Rachel does ... and ROLL THE DAMNED TAPE!!!
The rest of the issue is that they lie on FOX and know their constituency now watches ONLY Fox, so they can lie their little wicked hearts out and they will never be revealed.
Interesting that he blew up about two members not getting to question her and not that they didn't bother to attend. Which two were they? Hopefully not the ones that couldn't be bothered to show up to be sworn in.
I have a stupid question. Aren't people sworn in before they testify to Congressional committees? And if that's the case, wasn't Ms. Warren still under oath?
Because if so, Mr. McHenry wasn't just accusing her of lying; he was accusing her of perjury.
Patrick McHenry would have to improve 100%,just to be an ass hole!
Here's his spanking from Rep. Speier:
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=600017980
Well said, Madame!
That was WICKED COOL!!! AND polite! Loved it - thanks for the link.
Excellent. Somebody really had to say it.
"You're making this up!" Holy crap, is this guy stuck in the second grade or what? His mama needs to get a peach switch and tan his butt for speaking to anyone that way. If his mama isn't available for any reason I volunteer. It's a nasty job, but someone needs to do it. I will even provide the switch.
I wonder if McHenry's staff will be very pleased with his attitude, that the schedule agreements they make on his behalf will not be honored. Perhaps the congressman would prefer to make ALL his own schedule agreements in the future?
If I were on his staff, he and I would have a very frank discussion, followed by my quitting. But that is probably why I will never be a congressional staffer, I have a low tolerance for bull@!$%#.
Patrick McHenry has shown himself to be a classless idiot on so many occasions I've lost count. Obviously, the voters in his district are about as smart as he is, or they wouldn't continue to send him to Congress.
just as wolves are disgusted by a shepherd, foxes disgusted by a dog, robbers disgusted by a guard, etc.
impressed or maybe more specifically, admire.
pirate.
'Give me Liberty or give me Death!' - Patrick Henry / Patriot
'Give me Money and give me a Chairmanship!' -Patrick McHenry / Hatriot
I agree there is never any consequences to their reprehensible behavior. Rep Cummings was far to mild in his rebuke. Until the democrats start taking the republicans on, this type of behavior will continue. And where is the public apology from McHenry? He is discusting?
A Republicant calling someone a liar? "Hello Kettle? This is Pot. You're black!"
Repubs are the party of uncouth. They have fallen so far off of the evolutionary scale they have just been passed by slugs. They seem to think they are enpowered to act this way. After yesterdays election in a chinese red district, one must ask, by who?
From his Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/CongressmanMcHenry
Dawn Meifert said: This is the same guy who called a US Solider a "two bit security guard" when he was refused entry to a gym without proper credentials in the Green Zone. And the same guy who put a video of his trip to the Green Zone on his web site without DOD approval putting US soldiers at risk. He had to be forced to remove it. And the same guy who gave $20,000 of PAC funds to a former aide to pay his legal bills when charged with voter fraud for voting multiple times for McHenry. When confronted with this one he said it was a smear campaign by District Attorney Locke Bell. What he couldn't explain was the fact that Locke Bell had raised funds for him in previous elections. And that's the tip of the iceberg.
There are also periodic posts letting people know their posts can be removed:
Gary Votour"Just a reminder to our Facebook friends: Congressman McHenry's Facebook page is an open forum and all points of view are welcome. Please give each other's opinions the respect they rightly deserve. Also, be mindful that posts containing profanity, threats, or other inappropriate comments are subject to be removed.
Happy Wednesday, Team McHenry"
Would that be the same respect he showed Warren, McTeam?
Tell your boss to A P O L O G I Z E
I actually went to his Facebook page intending to leave a comment--and may yet do so--but one of the first things I noticed on the page was that he "Likes" Joe Wilson, he of "You LIE!" fame when Pres. Obama was speaking to a joint session of Congress about health care.
Peas in a pod, birds of a feather... unbelievable.
Grand Old Party isn't so grand anymore, that's for sure. How people can vote for that sort of thing is totally beyond me. How embarrassing to be a constituent of such a moron.
Ari Berman found him on Twitter: I see that @PatrickMcHenry is also on Twitter. Some people might want to have a word with him
If those two congressmen weren't in the room then how do they know that their questions hadn't already been answered or covered by Warren's testimony up until that point?
In the business world which is what Republicans are supposed to be all about, someone who shows up late for a meeting is chastised and definitely not allowed to ask questions whose answers might have already been given earlier in the meeting.