Friday during the testimony of acting Attorney General Whitaker before the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) got angry with Whitaker over a dispute about the amount of time she had left for questions.
Jackson Lee said, “Can I have my time restored — I think it was that four minutes?”
She continued, “Thank you. Again, Mr. Attorney General, the question is did you have a confirmation hearing and has it been more than ten years since you’ve testified before Congress?”
Whitaker said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know if your time has been restored or not.”
Jackson Lee said, “Mr. Attorney General, we’re not joking here. Your humor is not acceptable. Now, you are here because we have a constitutional duty to ask questions, and the Congress has the right to establish government rules. The rules are that you are here. So I need to ask the question, and I need to have my time restored so that you can behave appropriately. I will behave appropriately as a member of the Judiciary Committee. I’ve asked a question. Did you have a confirmation hearing and have you not yet appeared for an oversight hearing?”
Whitaker said, “Congresswoman, I am an acting attorney general. I have been appointed according to the Vacancies Reform Act. And I have never appeared in front of Congress for any hearing even when I was United States Attorney.”
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