Democrat Hakeem Jeffries: I’m ‘Not that Familiar’ with What Maxine Waters Originally Said

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on Monday described House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA)  potential censure of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) as “frivolous” and would not say whether he agreed with the California Democrat’s remarks — encouraging protesters to stay in the streets and become more confrontational — claiming he was “not that familiar” with what she originally said.

Jeffries said of McCarthy’s intention to censure the far-left Democrat over remarks she made while attending a protest outside of a police station in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota:

I certainly will not support that frivolous resolution, and I think that Chairwoman Waters has made clear. Certainly, the perspective of the House Democratic caucus is clear, we support peaceful protests consistent with the First Amendment– freedom of speech, freedom of expression freedom of assembly, and the right to petition the government peacefully.

“That is what we continue to support,” the New York Democrat continued, contending McCarthy should “focus on his own conference” and falsely claiming the minority leader actively supported the “violent insurrection” at the U.S. Capitol on January 6:

Because the Republicans in the House are a mess right now. Perhaps he should sit this one out. When you think that Kevin McCarthy has the nerve to say something about anyone when he supported the violent insurrection after the mob attacked the Capitol, threatened to assassinate Nancy Pelosi, kill other members of Congress, hang Mike Pence. He then came back to the Capitol, voted to support the big lie, which ignited the violent insurrection, and continues to play footsie with Donald Trump. When you’ve got a situation where Lauren Boebert is a mess. Matt Gaetz is a mess. Marjorie Taylor Green is a mess. Clean up your mess Kevin. Sit this one out. You’ve got no credibility here. We support peaceful protest.

When asked if he supported Waters’ words, Jeffries said he was “not that familiar with what she said.”

“I know she made clear and comment afterward that she supports peaceful protests. Dr. King supported non-violent direct action. That is what House Democrats support,” he said, effectively side-stepping the question.

Over the weekend, Waters said they are looking for a “guilty verdict” in the Derek Chauvin trial and said protesters must “stay in the street”:

“We’ve got to stay on the street and we’ve got to get more active. We’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure they know we mean business,” she added.