Today’s hearing on fossil fuels went off the rails as Rep. Cori Bush from Missouri made a baseless accusation against one of the witnesses. She called him a “white supremacist” while, in reality, he had just expressed an opinion on African culture, one that did not include any reference to skin color.
The controversy began when Bush started her opening statement by criticizing the oil industry and suggesting that the US should switch to renewable energy sources. She then accused Republicans of inviting “for-profit think tanks and oil-titans” that allegedly seek to maximize profits at the expense of minority communities.
At that point, Bush turned her attention to an unnamed witness who had written in his college newspaper that “African and American studies department has 23 classes and many of these classes African culture is presented not as”.
This is when Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert stepped in and objected to Bush’s words. “Mr. Chairman, I ask the gentlelady’s words be taken down. She just called the witness a white supremacist,” Boebert said.
Bush denied the accusation, saying that she was referring to the witness’s words, not to the person himself. Boebert then requested a parliamentary decree to have Bush’s words taken down and reminded the members to show respect to the witnesses who were present in the room.
Bush then continued quoting the unidentified witnesses’ testimony, saying the witness later doubled down and argued that certain cultures are inferior to western cultures.
“We are not inferior to any culture,” Bush said, after having noted the witness said their culture comment was not in regards to skin color but simply culture.
It is extremely disappointing to see politicians like Cori Bush make baseless accusations without evidence but that’s sadly what we have grown to expect from the left. This only serves to further divide us, when what we really need is unity and understanding. It is also highly concerning that the Democratic Party is so quick to label people as “white supremacists” when they express a different opinion than them.
WATCH Ranking Member @RepCori deliver her opening statement during today’s @GOPoversight absurd hearing to promote Big Oil policies and defend America’s reliance on fossil fuels: pic.twitter.com/IZXpbAUA4P
— Oversight Committee Democrats (@OversightDems) March 8, 2023
We should all be working together to create a better world, free of political corruption and racial claims. The GOP has some great policies that could help us do just that and it’s time we all worked together instead of against each other.
