The House Judiciary Committee’s hearing on violent crime in New York City got sent off the rails when audience members heckled Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) during his opening statements.
The committee held their hearing at the Jacob Javits Federal Building on Monday, which — as WABC points out — just so happens to be around the block from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. While the hearing’s purpose is ostensibly to discuss crime in New York under Bragg’s watch, Democrats have called it a “political stunt” and the latest salvo in Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan’s (R-OH) legal war with Bragg over the indictment of former President Donald Trump
In his opening remarks, Schiff condemned the vitriol against Bragg and accused the committee’s Republican majority of serving as Trump’s “criminal defense counsel.” Before he could go any further, a man in the audience stood up, started shouting, and yelled “you’re a scumbag!” at Schiff while Capitol Police moved to escort him out.
The man kept on yelling, accusing committee members of paying “no attention to people who are justifying a bunch of families dying. You guys are scumbags! All of you! Every one of you!” While the man was being led away, another man got up and accused Bragg of being “the reason” for violent crime in New York.
Jordan attempted to restore order, telling the second man “you gotta go” and asking the Capitol Police to remove him. The heckler brought up Ralph Nader towards the end of his diatribe, which amused the committee as they wondered why the “very unfortunate attack” on the former third party candidate.
“Those comments about Ralph Nader are way out of line,” Schiff said to general laughter when he finally got to speak again.
