May 23, 2019

Trump's vile and inhumane child separation policy on interned migrants got yet another boost from Republican lawmakers who voted to censor highly critical comments from Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14). She said the deaths were the result of an intentional policy decision, which they are. But Republicans didn't like the sound of that, naturally. So they had her remarks removed from the official record.

Source: NBC News

After a dispute over comments by Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., about the death of migrant children at the southern border during a heated budget hearing on Wednesday, Republicans voted to remove her remarks from the record.

"This is more than a question of resources," Underwood said during the House Homeland Security Committee hearing on the administration's budget request from acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan. "Congress has been more than willing to provide resources and to work with you, Mr. Secretary, to address the security and humanitarian concerns and, at this point, with five children dead and 5,000 separated from their families, this is intentional. It's a policy choice being made on purpose by this administration, and it's cruel and inhumane."

McAleenan excoriated the freshman Illinois lawmaker for the comments, which she refused to walk back.

At which point the Republican ranking member on the committee, Mike Rogers (R-AL) said, "You cannot impugn the character of the witness by stating that he intentionally murders children. That is completely inappropriate and her words should be taken down," which is not what she said at all.

After some wrangling, a vote was taken on whether her comments should be stricken from the permanent record. And you'd be as surprised as I was to learn that, even though Democrats now control the committee, the motion passed. Huh? All the Trump sycophants Republicans voted to censor, but because ten Democrats were not in attendance, the motion passed and her remarks were stricken from the record.

See, if you're going to fight against Republican lawlessness, it'd probably be a good idea to show up.

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