Republican Lawmaker Spars With CNN’s Pamela Brown Over No Kings Protestors
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) sparred with CNN’s Pamela Brown over her characterization of the No Kings protestors on Monday, with McClain arguing the rally goers were “standing for communism” and “anti-Semitism,” among other anti-American beliefs.
Brown, during an interview with the congresswoman on The Situation Room, pressed McClain over her characterization of the protests as “I Hate America” rallies.
“They were speaking out on many issues that they say threaten democracy. Before them, you called them ‘Hate America’ rallies. Do you really believe that the approximately 7 million attendees who participated this weekend, according to the organizers, hate the United States of America?” Brown asked.
McClain responded:
Well, look at what they’re standing for. They’re standing for communism. They’re standing for anti-semitism. Just take a look at the rallies, right? This is the party — the Republicans — are the party of law and order. We don’t believe in anti-semitism.
Take a look at the speakers that they have at the rally. Take a look at what they’re fighting for. They’re fighting to defund the police, defund ICE. They’re fighting not for law and order, but they’re fighting for the criminals. We stand on the side of law and order. We stand on the core principles of this great nation, which is capitalism, law and order. And the Democrats clearly don’t stand for that.
So to me, you make your own decision on that, but I can share with you where I stand on that. That’s not America first, and that’s definitely not capitalism.
Brown pushed back, saying CNN had reporters at the protests, talking to attendees.
“Some of the ones we talked to had very moderate views on this. They say they love America,” Brown said. “They are very concerned that America is sliding into an autocracy. They look at the prosecutions of the president’s critics, limits on press access in the Pentagon, the push to put the National Guard in American cities, and to these protestors, that concerns them. Are you willing to consider their point of view here?
McClain said yes, she is willing to consider their point of view. But she questioned what the No Kings attendees had to say when former President Joe Biden disregarded the Supreme Court and pushed to pay off student loans.
“Were they speaking out against Biden during that time? No, I don’t think so,” McClain said.
She then said protestors, as well as Democratic politicians like Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, should be “welcoming” the National Guard to Chicago to clamp down on crime, not opposing it.
McClain’s CNN appearance came the morning after President Donald Trump mocked the “whacked-out” protestors, and declared he is definitely not a king, because he works his “ass off” for the U.S..
Watch above via CNN.
