Dem Rep Wants To Send Millions To Nation Accused Of Ethnic Cleansing Amid Intense Foreign Lobbying Campaign
Cohen remains a stalwart defender of the oil-rich state
Dem lawmaker is brutally mocked for suggesting 'barriers' to separate women from trans athletes in locker rooms
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) is an unashamed supporter of "gender-affirming care" and trans rights.
But on Thursday, the Democrat inadvertently made an argument supporting a division between locker rooms for biological women and trans women (i.e., biological men who identify as women).
What did Cohen say?
Paula Scanlan, a former swimmer for the University of Pennsylvania, told lawmakers on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government on Thursday that she and her female teammates were forced to share a locker room with Lia Thomas, a biological male who identifies as transgender.
According to Scanlan, it happened "18 times per week," and when concerns were raised, school officials said it was "non-negotiable."
When it was Cohen's turn to speak in the hearing, he agreed that Penn mishandled the situation, and then he offered a solution: "barriers" between biological men and biological women.
"I read Ms. Scanlan's testimony, I wasn’t here to hear it, and I think Penn didn’t deal with your situation like they could've and should've," he said, "like putting up some type of different barriers in the women's area of the locker room. But that's another issue. Things should be dealt with in a different way."
— (@)
What was the response?
Cohen's suggestion received a flurry of attention because his proposed solution already exists in a sane world: one locker room for biological women and a separate locker room for biological men.
- "Could I suggest walls and doors with locks," one person mocked.
- "Like, a wall? Making a separate room? We could call it the 'Men's' locker room," another person mocked.
- "OR - have MEN change in the MEN'S locker room? That would probably be the easier fix..." one person suggested.
- "Wow, rather than spending all this money to make individual locker rooms in the women’s locker room why don’t we just have the guys with penises dress in the malelocker room oh my God genius genius!!" one person sarcastically applauded.
- "Like an entirely separate room perhaps?" another person suggested.
- "I’m thinking the best barrier is to have a wall, with separate doors, and a sign on one for women and a sign on the other for men. Simple!" another person responded.
- "If only there were some kind of barrier we could make out of, like, cement walls, and a maybe a separate door… it’s a huge undertaking but I think we could make it work on a large scale," another person mocked.
- "Democrat rep solves problem of transgenderism by proposing the novel concept of separate spaces for people with penises and people with vaginas," Allie Beth Stuckey mocked.
The irony of Cohen's suggestion, according to the Washington Examiner's Zachary Faria, is that it was an inadvertent admission that "he recognizes that transgenderism is based on the lie that men can be women and vice versa."
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John Durham fires back perfect response to Democrat slamming his reputation — and the room erupts in applause
Former special counsel John Durham received a round of applause Wednesday after he rebuffed a Democrat who suggested his reputation is irreparably damaged.
At a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Democrats grilled Durham about his report investigating the origins of the Justice Department's Trump-Russia investigation. When it was Rep. Steve Cohen's (D-Tenn.) turn for questioning, he at first tried to extract comment from Durham about Donald Trump's insults of former Attorney General Bill Barr.
"That's outside the scope of my report," Durham quipped, eliciting laughter in the room.
What followed were several minutes of Cohen asking Durham why he did not investigate allegations that Donald Trump's presidential campaign colluded with Russia. Cohen made assertions of collusion despite special counsel Robert Mueller determining there was no evidence of collusion.
"Why did you then not think it was a good idea for you to look into it and see if the FBI wasn’t correct, and that there was collusion — a connection between Russia and the Trump campaign to elect Trump?" Cohen asked.
"My assignment was to look at the conduct of the intelligence community agencies, not to conduct a separate investigation that was done by the House or was done by the Senate or was done by Director Mueller," Durham explained.
That's when it got personal.
"You got no convictions. You got nothing!" Cohen screamed at Durham. "It was all set up to hurt the Mueller Report, which was correct and was redacted, to hurt the Bidens, and to help Trump — and you were a part of it!
"You have a good reputation, you had a good reputation, that's why the two Democrats supported you. But the longer you hold on to Mr. Barr and this report that Mr. Barr gave you as special counsel, your reputation will be damaged. As everybody's reputation who gets involved with Donald Trump is damaged. He's damaged goods. There's no good dealing with him, 'cuz you will end up on the bottom of a pyre."
But Durham made it clear he does not care what Cohen thinks about his reputation.
"My concern about my reputation is with the people who I respect and my family and my Lord, and I'm perfectly comfortable with my reputation with them, sir," Durham responded.
Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R) responded, "Well said. God bless you." The room then erupted into applause.
Applause Breaks Out After Durham's Response To Steve Cohen Telling Him 'You Had A Good Reputation' www.youtube.com
Anything else?
It's not true that Durham's investigation netted zero convictions. Even though its goal was not to prosecute, it resulted in three prosecutions: two acquittals and one conviction.
There is also no evidence that Durham's investigation was designed to "hurt" Mueller's Report, benefit Trump, or damage Biden. Durham's investigation began more than a year before Biden won the White House.
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'Your comments are absurd!' Sparks fly in House after Tennessee Democrat calls Canada the 'freest country in the world'
Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen on Thursday declared that Canada has supplanted the United States as the "freest country in the world" because some states are now preventing women from killing their unborn babies at will.
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the impact of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Cohen took issue with a pro-life witness' statement that America is the freest country in the world.
"I love America. I'm an American and I love America and love this country, but they said we're the freest country in the world ... well, right now, Canada is the freest country in the world," Cohen said via teleconference.
"And there are a few other countries along with Canada that are more free than America, when you cut women away from having the opportunity to get their families and their bodies to be their choices," he added.
In its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not grant a federal right to abortion and that each state legislature holds the power to pass laws permitting or restricting abortion. Elected representatives will make these laws as they see fit, according to the will of their constituents as expressed at the ballot box.
In the wake of the court's decision, several states with Republican-controlled legislatures have activated trigger laws banning or restricting abortion, while Democrat-led states have sought to expand abortion access and protect women who travel to states where abortion is legal to terminate their pregnancies.
But Cohen insisted that arguments that the Supreme Court did not outlaw abortion were a "red herring."
"The fact is, in the hard-core red states of the southeast, one time known as the Confederacy, there is but one or two states that would not ban abortion entirely. And those states did not offer many votes for the civil rights laws," the Democratic lawmaker said, asserting that all arguments for states' rights are descended from the defense of slavery in the mid-19th century.
"Slavery was wrong. Outlawing abortion is wrong. And outlawing gay marriage is wrong," Cohen declared, finishing his remarks.
\u201c.@RepCohen on America post-Roe: "I love America ... but [Republicans] said we are the freest country in the world ... Well, right now, Canada\u2019s the freest country in the world."\u201d— Tom Elliott (@Tom Elliott) 1657809627
"Mr. Cohen is wrong!" Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) exclaimed after he was recognized to speak next. "Canada is not the most free country in the world, young people. America is the greatest nation in the world."
Johnson went on to praise the Supreme Court's decision but was interrupted by Cohen, who demanded that he yield back.
"I will not yield, Mr. Cohen, because your comments are absurd. This hearing is absurd," Johnson said.
"Your comments are absurd!" Cohen shot back, before he was quieted by the committee chairman's gavel.
\u201cRep. Mike Johnson: No, I will not yield, Mr. Cohen, because you're comments are absurd. \n\nRep. Cohen: Your comments are absurd. You're absurd! \n\nCohen claimed Canada is "the freest country in the world."\u201d— Nicole Silverio (@Nicole Silverio) 1657818649
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