On Wednesday, Republican lawmakers were getting ready for a press conference at Capitol Hill to protest an upcoming global health equity treaty negotiation between the Biden White House and the World Health Organization when they were met by an unruly and aggressive agitator.
Reps. Clay Higgins (La.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), and Paul Gosar (Az.) were among the people speaking at the event, when Jake Burdett, a supporter of Bernie Sanders and “Medicare for All” began to repeatedly yell questions at them that were unrelated to the event, making it impossible for anyone to hear what the officials had to say.
Activist was a 103M. Threatening. He was escorted out and turned over to Capitol Police. Textbook. pic.twitter.com/n2GXaJTspJ
— Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) May 18, 2023
The lawmakers attempted to defuse the situation by asking Burdett to wait until after the speeches were finished before questioning them, but it didn’t seem to work. Instead, he proceeded to get too close to Boebert and yelled questions at her about her divorce.
At this point, the former law enforcement officer, Clay Higgins stepped in and removed Burdett from the area. Moments later, the Capitol Police showed up, took care of him, and escorted him out of the area.
In a predictable turn of events, Burdett is now claiming assault, while the mainstream media is presenting him as an innocent bystander “just asking questions” and using video shot by his allies.
However, many people have rightfully called out the activist left on their hypocrisy, pointing out that these are the same people who think it’s a woman’s fault if her things are stolen because of racism, and think it’s okay to harass and intimidate members of the Supreme Court at their homes.
There is a clear need to draw a line between protesting and disruption, between aggression and expression. All too often, the left’s version of activism and social justice has a way of crossing the line into blatant harassment and incivility, and it’s time they are held accountable for it.
Clay Higgins did exactly that by acting in a way a responsible adult should and diffuse a potentially dangerous situation, and he should be praised for that. The left would do well to recognize that even in their mission to support a cause, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it.
Yesterday, @RepClayHiggins defended me as a radical socialist attempted to disrupt me during a press conference.
Thank you, Clay! pic.twitter.com/5Q9gIhIqXr
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) May 18, 2023