Jim Jordan, Fauci and Maxine Waters Get in Shouting Match During House Hearing: 'Shut Your Mouth'
A contentious exchange during a House hearing between Dr. Anthony Fauci and GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio over individual liberties and pandemic politics got out of control Thursday when Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California screamed at the Ohioan to “shut” his “mouth.”
Jordan, an opponent of government restrictions on the First Amendment, was grilling Fauci over how his public health recommendations and predictions have affected the rights of people to live freely during a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing.
“Fifteen days to slow the spread turned into one year of lost liberty” for Americans, Jordan pointed out, adding the American people want to know when they will “get their freedoms back.”
Fauci, who was visibly stirred, did not appear to want to have a discussion about how his recommendations have affected Constitutional liberties.
“You’re indicating liberty and freedom. I look at it as a public health measure to prevent people from dying and going to the hospital,” Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said. “This will end for sure when we get the level of infection very low.”
Rep. @Jim_Jordan asks when Americans get liberty & freedom back.
Dr. Fauci: “You’re indicating liberty & freedom. I look at it as a public health measure to prevent people from dying and going to the hospital…This will end for sure when we get the level of infection very low.” pic.twitter.com/9Qu77kDIf4
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 15, 2021
At one point, Jordan leaned into his microphone and asked Fauci, “You don’t think Americans’ liberties have been threatened in the last year, Dr. Fauci?”
When asked by Jordan what he viewed as an acceptable metric for essentially reinstating the Constitution, Fauci said that should occur when new infections of the coronavirus are “low enough.”
[firefly_poll]
“I just want to know when Americans will get their First Amendment liberties back,” Jordan declared. “What measures have to be attained before Americans get their First Amendment liberties back?”
Fauci, who is rarely frazzled, said the clampdown on civil liberties for some Americans would end when “the level of infection is low,” but offered no specifics.
By that point, the discussion had devolved into a shouting match, as Democratic House members jumped to Fauci’s defense. Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, for example, said COVID restrictions could be eased “when 90 percent of the members of Congress get vaccinated,” in an apparent display of sarcasm.
“You’re not a doctor, Mr. Clyburn,” Jordan responded.
Jordan then asked Fauci for “objective” numbers with regard to when he views a full reopening of the country to be acceptable.
The Ohio Republican demanded answers from Fauci, which he was not given. The heated moment was far from over, though, as a shouting match ensued.
Waters then interjected in an incendiary fashion.
“Order. Regular order,” the California Democrat yelled. “You need to respect the chair and shut your mouth.”
Jordan, apparently having made his point, then yielded and order was restored.
CORRECTION, April 16, 2021: This post originally claimed that the exchange in question took place on the House floor, when in fact it occurred in a House hearing room. We apologize to our readers for the error.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
CORRECTION, April 16, 2021: This post originally claimed that the exchange in question took place on the House floor, when in fact it occurred in a House hearing room. We apologize to our readers for the error.
