Washington Post‘s Jason Rezaian, Held Captive in Iran: Don’t Say ‘Hostages’ in Connection With Gov’t Shutdown
With the government shutdown still ongoing, the talking point of President Donald Trump holding government workers and the American people “hostage” has emerged from the Democrats. Jason Rezaian, who served as Tehran bureau chief for the Washington Post and who was jailed in Iran for 544 days, believes it is wrong for Democrats to use the term “hostage.”
We cannot reward hostage-taking. If the President can arbitrarily shut down the government now and get what he wants, he will do it time and again.
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) January 20, 2019
As workers endure the 32nd day of the #TrumpShutdown, the American people know exactly who is to blame for holding their paychecks hostage. https://t.co/E9sMH5iNJN
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) January 22, 2019
Pelosi: Let me be very clear. Open up government..we cannot have the President every time he has an objection to say I’ll shut down government until you come to my way of thinking..If we hold the employees hostage now they’re hostage forever.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 22, 2019
“Occasionally Democrats are saying the president is holding people hostage with the shutdown. You see the word ‘hostage’ tossed around in common conversation…I understand what people are getting at at different times, but you were a hostage for 544 days,” CNN’s John Berman said.
“Yeah don’t use that term politicians, please,” Rezaian replied. “I was a hostage. I know other former hostages. It’s not something to be taking lightly and, you know, respect the term.”
Watch above, via CNN
