On Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) did what no Republican has been able to do this this 118th Congress: he earned the gavel on the first round, with all of his fellow Republicans voting in his favor. As they had done for 19 times, all House Democrats voted for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Just as he did when handing then Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) the gavel in the early morning hours of January 7, after 15 rounds of voting, Jeffries made some remarks beforehand, during which he ate up his timing singing the praises of his fellow Democrats. And both times, Jeffries was drowned up by boos from House Republicans.
In his 12-minute speech, Jeffries made at least a couple of particularly problematic points just dripping with hypocrisy. As he looked to be trying to troll Republican members, Jeffries declared that President Joe Biden had indeed won the 2020 presidential election against former and potentially future President Donald Trump.
"Let me conclude with an observation about the state of our democracy," Jeffries said, with still several minutes left to his speech, as wagged his finger. "Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. He’s doing a great job under difficult circumstances and no amount of election denialism will ever change that reality. Not now. Not ever."
House Democrats erupted in thunderous applause, while Republican members mostly sat there. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and George Santos (R-NY) however, could be seen and heard yelling and waving their arms around.
Jeffries being hectored by GOPers during his speech to introduce Johnson. Also dials up charges of election denialism against some Republicans
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 25, 2023
“Biden won the 2020 election,” said Hakeem Jeffries.
— Adam Longo (@adamlongoTV) October 25, 2023
“NO HE DIDNT,” screams MTG and George Santos as they both wave their arms wildly. @wusa9
It wasn't just that Jeffries was going for a performance, though. When it comes to the 2016 presidential election, which Trump won, the democratic leader may be one of the biggest election deniers there is. Just earlier on Wednesday, shortly before the House voted to select Johnson as speaker, RNC Research put out a video over X, reminding users of some of Jeffries greatest--or rather, worst--hits. They did the same last November as well.
Meet Election Denier Hakeem Jeffries — the new leader of the House Democrats. pic.twitter.com/vCh19NsLQx
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 17, 2022
REMINDER:
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 25, 2023
House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries is an Election Denier pic.twitter.com/ZhqkmJALlm
Guy made a post about this point of Jeffries' remarks as well, also reminding how he had been just as much of a showboater back in January too
He also wrote more about such election denialism late last November. "By the Way, House Dems' New Leader-in-Waiting Peddles Misinformation and Conspiracies," Guy's headline about Jeffries read. Examples included Jeffries' insistence that the U.S. Supreme Court is "illegitimate" and has "zero legitimacy," as well as his dismissal of the racism towards Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the Court's most senior, conservative, and esteemed members.
Election denier Hakeem Jeffries really milking this moment, as he did in January
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 25, 2023
Jeffries has also been prone to tossing around the label of "MAGA Republicans," especially in the months before last year's Novermber midterm elections. Although Republicans overall didn't perform as well as expected and the red wave never materlized, they did do particulary well in Jeffries' state of New York, and were able to take back control of chamber.
Despite how the Democratic leader no doubt uses such a label as an insult, he voted with some of those more MAGA Republicans in the House earlier this month to oust McCarthy as speaker, dictating that his members do the same. They were doing so as a result of Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-FL) motion to vacate the chair.
To close his remarks for real, Jeffries referenced yet another favorite talking point of Democrats: January 6. "We faced adversity right here in the House of Representatives on January 6, 2021, a violent mob of insurrectionists, incited by some in this chamber, overran the House Floor as part of the effort to halt the peaceful transfer of power," he claimed, as his final example of "fac[ing] adversity."
Such remarks came after he listed other examples, likening the "adversity" from January 6 to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Jim Crow, World War II, the Great Depression, and the Civil War.
Election denier Hakeem Jeffries compares Jan 6 to 9/11
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) October 25, 2023
Notice he says the buildings on 9/11 were “unexpectedly struck” without mentioning the terrorists responsible.
He’s more upset about Americans who took selfies in the Rotunda for a few hours. pic.twitter.com/FR5uucvFpb
Jeffries failed to address, though, how, pro-Hamas activists had just last week stormed the Cannon House building demanding not only a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but that the United States work more actively towards demanding it as well. This came just after Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) had made hysterical and unhinged remarks before a crowd of people, repeating the falsehood that it was Israeli rockets that hit a hospital in Gaza. As Townhall had been right about, though, it was actually confirmed to be misfired rockets from terrorists.
Over a week later, Tlaib has tripled down on the narrative, and is just now suggesting she might be "looking into" correcting the record, though she still stands by her demands of "don't police me," even as she uses her platform to spread anti-Israeli falsehoods.
Happening NOW:
— Wid Lyman (@Wid_Lyman) October 18, 2023
📍U.S. Capitol
Congresswoman @RashidaTlaib speaks to the rally calling for a ceasefire and end of the conflict.
She breaks down stating Israel bombed a hospital killing 500 - this report is now in question
WATCH: pic.twitter.com/fZlHXkUjRc
She disregards the overwhelming evidence and the resulting assessment of her own government — and instead chooses to believe Hamas. pic.twitter.com/XFrLIQ0e65
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 24, 2023
Just asked Dem Rep. Rashida Tlaib if she would take down her tweet accusing Israel of the bombing of a Gaza hospital despite US saying otherwise.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 25, 2023
“I just got briefed — I’m looking into it.”
Asked again, she told me: “I’m not going to get policed.”
And elevator doors closed
In our coverage from last week about the condemnation that came for Tlaib from both chambers in both parties, Jeffries and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) were missing from those calling out their fellow Democratic member.
Although earlier on in his speech Jeffries made some comments that were nonpartisan enough in nature to do with supporting Israel and condemning Hamas, his remarks may have been a bit too optimistic.
"Our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and the effort to defeat Hamas is not inconsistent with the goal of achieving a lasting and just peace between Israel and the Palestinian people," he mentioned as part of his discussion on standing by our ally in the Middle East. "In many ways, it is a necessary ingredient, because Hamas is not good for Israel, Hamas is not good for America, Hamas is not good for the Free World, Hamas is not good for the democratic aspirations of the Palestinian people."
Unfortunately, though, Palestnians have chosen Hamas, just as they did in the 2006 election. Our sister site of Twitchy, as well as Community Notes from X users, and The List X account made it a point to savage New York Magazine for trying to claim otherwise.
Speaking of Tlaib, she and many of her fellow Squad members voted against a House resolution--the first order of business in weeks--supporting Israel.
✍️uh✍️oh✍️ https://t.co/dPplLOIv7U pic.twitter.com/HDT2mD8MN2
— The List (@ListComesForAll) October 24, 2023
Breakdown of 10 nay votes on Hse resolution to stand by Israel. 9 of 10 are Dems: Bowman, Bush, Carson, GreenTX, LeePA, Massie, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Ramirez, Tlaib. 6 mbrs voted present. All dems: Casar, Castro, GarciaIL, Jayapal, Pressley, Velazquez
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 25, 2023
