GOP Gets Exposed Under Cross Exam at Shutdown Hearing

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2:12Ben Meiselas:Democrats just put on a master class in cross-examination. And to make it even better, cross-examining MAGA Republicans in the Rules Committee. So before the continuing resolution comes to the floor for a vote, the Rules Committee does something called a markup. And during the markup process, the Democrats on the Rules Committee have the opportunity to cross-examine MAGA Republicans on the Rules Committee, and they get to call them up, and they get to examine them on what's really going on here with this disastrous continuing resolution that will take so many Americans off of healthcare. Now, one of the best cross examiners out there in the game, Democratic Congress member Joe Neguse, also Democratic Congress member McGovern.

3:09Ben Meiselas:And they both were a cooking. They both went to work. And they had these MAGA Republican Congress members shaking in their boots. Again, this was a masterclass. As a former trial attorney, chef's kiss is my review of this. Let me show you Democratic Congress member Neguse first. He's cross-examining your MAGA Republican Congress member Cole on the rules committee. And Neguse says, let me say this to you. You claim that Republicans were out there doing lots of work while MAGA Mike sent you on vacation. You said you were doing lots of work. Well, let's dig into it. Let's watch this. Let's talk about the last 54 days.

3:57So the speaker, he said something that was fascinating. I thought it was a really interesting quote. If I can find it. Here we go. Yeah, that was interesting. So the quote is, House Republicans are doing some of the most meaningful work of their careers. They are in their districts. I don't want to pull them away from that. You agree with the speaker's comments? I don't speak for the speaker, but I don't disagree with him. Look, we're waiting for - No, no, no, that's not the question. That's not the question. You answered it. You answered it. Okay, so, Chairman, it sounds like you're saying that you agree with the Speaker.

4:35Republican members were doing some of the most, quote, meaningful work of their careers during that 54 days. I assume you were here in Washington and back in Oklahoma. Yeah. Right? Did you have any in-person town halls? No. None? 54 days? Did several tele-town halls. Tele-town halls. But you've done in-person town halls before. I know that to be true. Why not? 54 days is a long time. Not one town hall. No. Did you visit any of the federal facilities? Oh, I visited federal facilities. I've done multiple meetings with chambers of commerce, rotary clubs. It's been highly visible. I don't know if you heard my colleague, Miss Fishbach.

5:14She took great umbrage at this notion that, you know, that Republicans were somehow on vacation. Did you make it down to the Mar-a-Lago Halloween party? No. You didn't get the invitation to the Gatsby invite? I don't know. It would be interesting. I don't know if any of her colleagues here on the other side of the dais made it down there. It strikes me that it would be hard to describe the last 54 days, at least from what I've seen, as meaningful work on the part of my colleagues in the House Republican conference. But, you know, again, that's something you'll have to defend and also defend to their constituents.

5:53Ben Meiselas:Told you he was good. Congress Member Neguse, he's been on this show a lot. Incredible cross examination right there. Here's additional parts of that cross examination where Congress Member Neguse examines Congress Member Cole and says, you do realize that Steve Bannon and others in the Trump orbit are now referring to you as basically the Duma, the Russian Duma, who frankly have worked even more thus far than this house under MAGA Mike. Duma Mike, your play this clip. 12 days sound about right? Something like that. I can represent to you that the house since August 3rd has been in session for a total of 12 days.

6:44I don't know if you're familiar with Steve Bannon. I suspect you are. Yes? Never met him. Never met him. you know of him? If you read the newspapers, you know of him. Yeah, I don't. It's not a trick question. You know, Steve Bannon exists. No, I'm sorry. I know who he is. OK. There was a report recently where Steve Bannon compared the U.S. Congress under Speaker Johnson to the Duma, allegedly. You think that's an apt comparison? No, I don't. No. Would it surprise you to know that the Duma has been in session longer this fall than the United States House of Representatives? I don't know that the Duma sessions make very much difference.

7:21Well, I'm not so sure they make much difference here, given the way in which Republicans are capitulating to every demand that President Trump makes. I think it is shameful, shameful that the House has been in session for 12 days since August 3rd, 54 days out of session. you cannot possibly chairman you've been in congress for some time you can't possibly defend a 54 day recess the second longest recess in the modern history of the congress you would defend probably direct that uh sentiment toward the united states sentiment the senate decides when the House is in session? No, if you'll let me finish my point.

8:09My point is we sent a bill in plenty of time over to the Senate to keep the government open functioning. All these other issues you're concerned about could be addressed, could be debated. Why not pass these bills? Why not consider the bills on the floor? But we're waiting for the Senate to get back. The Senate has now finally acted. Okay, Mr. Cole, I understand that. I understand. You said that in response to Mr. McGovern. My question is, and this was what I think he was trying to glean from both you and the ranking member, there are plenty of appropriation bills that were passed out of committee.

8:46The House could have met the last week of September, any week in October, last week, yesterday, any time over the last 54 days, the House could be convened to consider these appropriation bills. John Thune doesn't get to decide when the House of Representatives is in session. Mike Johnson does. And I'm trying to understand from you why you've decided to take this position. I don't make these decisions. I'll finish and then I'll let you answer. Okay, I'm sorry. I thought you had. That the House should effectively stay out of session. I mean, I guess this is your position that if the government is shut down, the House of Representatives should not convene.

9:25Ben Meiselas:Is that your position? All right, now let me show you Democratic Congress member McGovern, the ranking member of the rules committee. Here's how he starts his cross exam. Welcome back. How was your vacation, everybody? MAGA Republicans here play this clip. Well, hello, Madam Chair. Welcome back. Long time no see. I hardly recognize you guys. Where the hell have you been? It's good to see you back on cap back in the Capitol building. We've been looking everywhere for you guys. I mean, seriously, we were worried. We actually started handing out missing person posters. Nobody has seen you for eight weeks.

10:04But hey, I'm glad that you're okay. I'm glad that you survived your nice two month paid vacation while Democrats stayed in Washington to try to end the shutdown.

10:13Ben Meiselas:Then he goes and says, none of you. Who wants to step up? None of you have a health care plan. I challenge you, show me your plan. It doesn't exist. You're all liars. You're all frauds here. Watch this. You don't even have a health care plan. You've been promising one for over a decade and we've never seen it because it doesn't exist. Or maybe it's simply just hiding behind the missing appropriation bills that this Republican majority hasn't passed. I don't know. But what I do know is this. Republicans have been in charge for 292 days. That's 292 days to do something, anything, to lower costs, to bring down prices, to make America more affordable, to do something about health care, tariffs, grocery prices, rent, or heating bills.

11:01And what did you do? You handed out tax breaks to billionaires and took the longest paid vacation in modern history.

11:08Ben Meiselas:And then he says, oh, you want to talk about the Affordable Care Act subsidies? McGovern says, you're subsidizing. You know who you're subsidizing? Argentina. You're literally subsidizing an entirely different country. You're subsidizing Javier Malay. You're playing this clip. He shut down the airspace while regular travelers are stranded all over the country. The administration is funneling$40 billion to bail out Argentina. Republicans are literally subsidizing an entirely different country instead of keeping families in North Carolina or Minnesota or Texas or Indiana from going bankrupt if they face emergency hospital bills.

11:50And then giving your donors a fancy new ballroom at the White House while moms and dads can't afford to put food on the table. And speaking of putting food on the table, Trump illegally withheld food assistance from 42 million Americans. kids veterans seniors working families two federal court orders demanded that he pay out these benefits in full but he would rather appeal to the highest court in the land to starve people out than to simply provide them with the food assistance that he is legally obligated to send to american families like who does that i mean that's the republican policy position we'll give you your food if you let us take away your health care.

12:33Ben Meiselas:Then you had Democratic Congresswoman Ansari. Look at the MAGA Republicans on the Rules Committee, looked at Virginia Fox, who is the chair of that Rules Committee, and Congresswoman Ansari says, welcome back from your vacation, to which Virginia Fox freaks out and she's like, I was working. Watch what goes down. Here's how it's done here's how you forcibly push back great work to congresswoman ansari let's play it miss i'm sorry you're recognized thank you madam chair welcome back from your eight weeks of taxpayer funded vacation it's good to see you and i hope i'm going to interrupt you republicans i'm going to interrupt you please i am sick and tired of hearing you all say we had an eight week vacation that's exactly what happened i worked every day i don't know about you i don't want to hear another soul we all worked every single day and that's exactly what happened with speaker mike johnson i'm taking you're recognized i hope that you all enjoyed yourselves while american families looked at their letters from their health insurance companies terrified that their insurance premiums were going to double or triple while the House was out of session for 53 days.

13:50That is unacceptable, Madam Chair.

13:52Ben Meiselas:Okay, back to Democratic Congress member Neguse, ripping this MAGA Republican Congress member cold to shreds. You almost feel a little bad for that MAGA Republican, and then you go, no, I don't feel bad for this guy at all. He's a MAGA Republican who hates America and wants to see Americans die. So you go, I don't feel bad for you. Get him, Neguse. Go get him. And Congress member Neguse does not disappoint. And he goes, okay, yeah, you've been here longer than I have, I guess. So let's talk about your experience, sir. Here, play this clip. Is that a fair? I am comfortable doing my job. And I've been here quite a bit, my friend.

14:33I understand. But and working on these issues, quite frankly. But we didn't vote to shut down the government in the House. OK, you mentioned you've been here a long time. To be fair, my Senate colleagues didn't vote to shut down the government and a majority of the United States Senate. You've made that position clear. Members from your party. You've made your position clear. So I think the people that shut down the government, you said, take responsibility for shutting down. As you said, Ed, you've been here a lot longer than I have, and that's certainly true. I haven't been here for long. I found an article.

15:06This is from 2007. You've been in Congress for some time. The headline, Cole, quote, now is not the time for a vacation, end quote. This is when Democrats had the majority in 2007. Congress must work through Memorial Day recess to produce a clean funding bill. U.S. Congressman Tom Cole today joined nearly every member of the Republican conference in sending a letter to then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling her to keep the House in session until Congress sends then President Bush a clean funding bill that he will sign into law. This was effectively, I'll just say, the letter was sent to Speaker Pelosi eight days before Congress is scheduled to adjourn for the Memorial Day recess.

15:47Legislative business is not scheduled to resume until June 5th. I mean, you all were clamoring, demanding that the Speaker reconvene the House and not take a 10-day recess. And now, what, we're in week eight and we're finally here? And you won't say a word of criticism about the Speaker's strategy in keeping all of us? I reserve my criticism for the people that shut down the government of the United States. I think it's rich. Shut down for 40-odd days. I think it is. And it made sure SNAP recipients didn't get it. I think it's rich. Mr. Chairman, I think it's rich. and again, I would just simply say that if the shoe were on the other foot, I don't think, honestly, I really, I don't think you would hesitate, that you would hesitate to call the speaker's actions disgraceful to keep us out of session for 54 days.

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17:53Ben Meiselas:Now, Congress member Chip Roy tried to get a little chirpy in this hearing. Neguse was not having it. He doesn't like chirpy Roy. And he's like, listen up, chirpy Roy. I'm going to read a quote from you. Here, play this clip. Before I ask you some questions, I have to address some of the comments made by the gentleman from Texas. I'm just going to read a quote. And I do this because I actually don't think I could find a quote like this from Chairman Cole. So in some respects, although I disagree with, you know, much of his testimony, but he certainly has more clean hands than some of my other colleagues.

18:34Quote, let's not fund a government that's going to be exacting tyranny over our American brothers and sisters. Full length of the interview is available here and some key quotes are below. This is from the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Roy's website, November of 2021. Should any Republican vote to fund an executive branch? In other words, should Article One Congress, which has the power of the purse as the founders gave us, should we give any dollars to the executive branch for President Biden to issue unconstitutional and lawful mandates that are causing people to have to choose between their livelihoods and getting a vaccine, which they don't want.

19:08Let's stand united. Let's not do what these 13 Republicans did last Friday and go side with Nancy Pelosi. Let's not fund a government that's going to be exacting tyranny over our American brothers and sisters. This is for Mr. Roy. Spare me. Oh, no, Mr. Roy. It's my time. It's my time. You certainly made that clear with the chairwoman. Spare us. Mr. Cole, perhaps, I think, as I said, can have some clean hands to talk to us about this particular set of circumstances we find ourselves in. You cannot. There might be other colleagues of yours, I think, who might share Mr. Cole's worldview, but I don't know.

19:45I thought I've heard everything in Congress, but to hear my colleague from Texas, you know, his indignation about the government shutdown as he instigated and tried to instigate shutdown after shutdown just three years ago, four years ago. This is in distant memory. In any event, I digress. Mr. Cole.

20:08Ben Meiselas:Back to Democratic Congress member McGovern here. He goes, this is when Chip Roy and others are like getting very angry and very passionate. And Congress member McGovern's like, all right, hold your horses there. Calm down. I wish you were this passionate about blocking$40 billion dollars going to argentina maybe you should be more supportive of america than argentina you idiot here play this clip that's literally what they were saying it's not a solution that's just printing more money while trying to go run campaign ads while you shut the government down for very clearly and obviously political purposes i yield back manager madam chair i wish the gentleman had that passion condemning the 40 billion dollar bailout of argentina a right wing cuckoo clock in argentina i wish he i wish i wish he had the passion to condemn that mr mcgovern right now here was a moment though that i think i have to share with you so democratic leader hakim jeffries then says you know what let me show you how it's done i'm gonna take the witness stand question me i'm gonna show you what it looks like when the facts, the people, transparency is on your side.

21:24Ben Meiselas:Watch Congress member McGovern then question Jeffries about the facts. And none of these MAGA Republicans on the committee were even had the strength to try to cross-examine Leader Jeffries because they were too scared to do it. Here, play this clip. Well, if I could go back to the issue of healthcare, Just for the record, I mean, has Speaker Johnson promised a vote to extend the ACA tax credits to either of you? It's extraordinary that he hasn't indicated that there will be a vote one way or the other to address the Republican health care crisis. Now, our colleague from the great state of Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, found it laughable that there's a Republican health care plan.

22:13She said she couldn't find it. She can't find it because it doesn't exist. Now, we know what the plan has been in the past in terms of the Affordable Care Act. Republicans have tried to repeal it more than 70 times over the last 15 years. And so we are just trying to get our Republican colleagues to take yes for an answer. we've said repeatedly let's find a bipartisan path forward let's reopen the government let's make life better for the american people but let's address the health care crisis that our republican colleagues have created and we can start by extending the affordable care act tax

22:59Ben Meiselas:credits more from leader jeffries right here who says you know look i get it trump's very busy guy he apparently has two jobs one he's doing whatever he building ballrooms he loves he loves building his ballrooms, everybody's a great ballroom builder. And then the other is being the Speaker of the House because MAGA Mike is so feckless. Here, play this clip. For seven plus weeks, House Republicans saw fit to be on a taxpayer-funded vacation, missing in action, part of the Witness Protection Program, doing nothing to make life better for the American people. That's extraordinary. And you got to wonder whether this was an order that was given by Donald Trump, who apparently has said that he's got two jobs.

23:47He's both the president and the speaker of the House. His words, not mine. Donald Trump apparently doesn't believe that there's an affordability crisis. Said it himself. There is no affordability crisis in the United States of America. That's what Donald Trump, top Republican in this country, says. So I guess it's no small wonder that the Republican chairman of the Appropriations Committee would say that there's nothing to do. Because Republicans apparently don't think that there are problems in this country that should be dealt with, such that the House of Representatives should be in session.

24:24But as Democrats, our view is that we've got to lower the high cost of living. We've got to make life more affordable for everyday Americans who are suffering under crushing Republican policies. Costs haven't gone down. That was the day one promise. Costs have gone up.

24:43Ben Meiselas:More from Leader Jeffries right here saying, let's test you. We will introduce an amendment right here, right now. Extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for a year, three years. Let's do it. show the American people that you care and then let's negotiate if you've got a plan show the plan but for now let's just make this vote extend the affordable care act subsidies let's not take away health care from 20 million Americans please here play this clip and we're hopeful that our Republican colleagues will join us and abandon the reckless policies that you all have pursued in creating this Republican health care crisis including but not limited to what republicans did in your one big ugly bill largest cut to medicaid in american history ripping health insurance away from at least 14 million people hospitals nursing homes and community-based health clinics all across the country including in rural America are closing because of Republican policies.

25:49And now because of the refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, tens of millions of people are going to suffer, will be unable to see a doctor when they need one in every single community in this country. And so we respectfully urge all of our colleagues to support this amendment, to extend the Affordable Affordable Care Act tax credits and support the American people.