During a Senate hearing in 1991, then-U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) lectured a black pastor who called out politicians for pandering to his church congregation during election seasons.
Rev. Amos Brown of the National Baptist Convention was opposed to Clarence Thomas’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, and at one point, critiqued politicians who appear at black churches before elections looking for votes.
“We preach to thousands every Sunday morning,” Brown, the pastor of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church, said of the clergy organizations represented at the hearing.
“I might say parenthetically here that maybe you should be sensitized to that by now, but when election time comes around, basically you politicians will make a beeline to the black church, but not in your white church on Sunday morning,” he said, looking up at Biden.
“Rev. Brown,” Biden interjected, “I have probably spent as much time in your black church as maybe even you have sometimes, on occasion.”
“Because you know that is where the votes are and that is where the voting population is,” Brown responded.
“I am very familiar with your church,” Biden lectured. “Now, what I want to know, though, without giving me political advice on where I should and shouldn’t be…”
Brown jumped in, “No, I am not giving you advice. I am stating a reality.”
“I want you to answer the question, if you would, please,” Biden said before Brown backed down.
“Yes, sir,” Brown replied.
Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays. Listen to segments on YouTube. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, and follow him on Parler.
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