Ken Cuccinelli Calls Debbie Wasserman Schultz a Witch: She ‘Got on Her Broom and Left’
The Fox & Friends hosts, meanwhile, rather than push back on Cuccinelli’s not-so-veiled sexist insult of a female lawmaker, instead expressed sympathy.
A day after a contentious congressional hearing in which he was accused by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) of pushing a “heinous white supremacist ideology,” acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ken Cuccinelli essentially called the congresswoman a witch.
Appearing on Fox & Friends on Friday morning, Cuccinelli brushed off questions about whether he’s still being considered to head up the Department of Homeland Security by saying he will keep doing his current job “in the face of some people who would rather we are not as successful.”
“Are you referring to Debbie Wasserman Schultz by chance,” co-host Ainsley Earhardt asked, prompting Cuccinelli to say she was “among them.”
The hosts went on to play a video clip from Thursday’s contentious hearing in which the Florida lawmaker claimed the Cuccinelli and President Donald Trump were pursuing a white supremacist policy by denying public benefits to legal immigrants, including children.
“That’s one of those things that politicians can say things because they are protected,” co-host Steve Doocy remarked. “However, you are—as somebody who is serving in the public interests—you have to give facts.”
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Cuccinelli insisted that while he was under oath, Wasserman Schultz was “literally protected to lie,” citing the speech and debate clause in the Constitution. He then asserted that she only came into the hearing to make a speech before making his witch allusion.
“She wasn’t at much of the committee hearing,” he said. “She came in, laid on her smears on both me and the president, all completely false. And then wasn’t there much longer, got on her broom and left. It was a fly-by for her and to get a little sound bite.”
The hosts, meanwhile, rather than push back on Cuccinelli’s not-so-veiled sexist insult of a female lawmaker, instead expressed sympathy for the Trump immigration chief.
“She didn’t want you to interrupt her,” Earhardt declared. “And I guess the rules prevent you from doing but she is smearing your reputation and character and saying something you don’t feel like it is true. You have to defend yourself.”
Following Cuccinelli’s Fox & Friends remarks, Wasserman Schultz took to Twitter to respond, calling out the Trump official for trying to “silence outspoken women who speak truth to power.”
I called out @USCISCuccinelli for promoting white supremacist immigration policies attacking people of color: family separation, deporting sick children, Muslim ban, public charge. But he also wants to silence outspoken women who speak truth to power. I call out misogynists too. https://t.co/j3duEzD58K
— Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@DWStweets) November 1, 2019
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.