Saturday on Fox News Channel’s “Watters’ World,” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) reacted to former President Barack Obama’s criticism of the U.S. Senate filibuster during a eulogy at the funeral service for Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).
“By ending some of the partisan gerrymandering so that all voters have the power to choose their politicians, not the other way around,” Obama said. “And if all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do.”
Gaetz recalled Obama’s willingness to participate and support the use of the filibuster during the presidency of George W. Bush to block his judicial appointments.
“You know, when you look at Barack Obama, I guess it’s surprising and confusing, that he is such a fan of Jim Crow relics, because it was Senator Obama in 2005, on President Bush’s judicial nominations, and again in 2006, when Justice Alito was nominated, who said that the filibuster was necessary and important to debate in the Senate,” Gaetz said. “So, you know, maybe he was more willing to embrace Jim Crow relics as a senator than he is as a former President. But gosh, you know, John Lewis is someone who just should be celebrated outside of politics of — you know, at his funeral.”
“I didn’t really think that it was appropriate to be talking about the intricacies of redistricting and the filibuster while honoring a great American icon like John Lewis,” he added.
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