California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa accused another House member of using a “racial slur” against him and other members of Congress in a Wednesday oversight hearing.
Georgia Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson prefaced his questions to Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan by commenting about the diversity of his colleagues and the poor treatment that he believes Khan had allegedly endured during her testimony due to her Pakistani origins. Issa issued a point of order after the conclusion of Johnson’s questioning, asking that the previous comments made by Johnson be struck from the record as inappropriate and accused him of using a racial slur.
“I personally felt that he was referring to all Republicans, but particularly to me, for his comments about diversity, his comments about our treating of the witness, apparently because the color of her skin, which happens to be similar to my brown skin,” Issa said following Johnson’s comments. “I would ask that that portion of his testimony be taken down as inappropriate and argumentative, and too, making a racial slur against myself and other members of Congress.”
Issa’s comments were in response to comments made by Johnson before his questions to Khan, where he commended the diversity of the Republicans in the 118th Congress , but also claimed the GOP needed to do more.
“I want to commend my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in the 118th Congress in diversifying the membership on their side of the aisle, but frankly… they have not done enough, they can’t do enough at this point, and it reflects in the treatment that witnesses such as yourself, Chair Khan, receive from this committee,” Johnson said. “When we treat a witness who looks like you with the politics of personal destruction, and we only attack witnesses who look like you with allegations of incompetence and a lack of ability to lead their agency, it’s indicative of the need of this committee to reflect on what the American people look like.”
Issa had previously referred to Khan as a “bully” in his questioning and pointed to the many recent setbacks of the FTC, such as the denial by a California judge of the FTC’s injunction to block Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of video game company Activision.
Johnson responded to the claims from Issa, saying, “I would also like to take… the opportunity to clarify to my friend, Chair Issa, that no personal affront was intended. This was directed at the entire panel,” which Issa laughed at.
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