Today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing with acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker had all the decorum of a mud wrestling match. Custom and convention were left at the hearing room door. It’s just the first of what promises to be two years of pushback from the executive branch.
But we took particular note of an exchange between Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Mr. Whitaker which summed up the day. Via Axios:
Representative Jeffries: “I’m confused, I really am. We’re all trying to figure out, who are you? Where did you come from? And how the heck did you become the head of the Department of Justice? Hopefully you can help me work through this confusion.“
Mr Whitaker begins to respond but is cut off.
Representative Jeffries: “Mr. Whitaker, this was a statement, not a question, I am sure you know the difference.” And then he later told him: “Keep your hands off the Mueller investigation.”
Mic drop
