GOP Rep. Lashes Out At CNN Host For Daring To Fact-Check Him

By Heather — February 14, 2024

These guys really don't like even some tepid push back when they go on the air and lie about what's in a piece of legislation. NY GOP Rep. Brandon Williams, who's already proven himself to be a hothead, made an appearance on CNN this Tuesday, and was asked by host Jim Sciutto about the bipartisan border security bill that they once demanded and now oppose in order to appease Trump, legislation that is also supported by the border patrol union, and got pretty testy with Sciutto when he fact-checked his lies.

SCIUTTO: As you know, your colleagues demanded that the aid be packaged with a border security deal. That deal may not have everything that the House wants, but it certainly raises the standard for asylum seekers. It put billions of dollars more into border security. It also is trying to shorten the time that those cases are heard. Why isn't it better to have increased security at the border rather than nothing?

WILLIAMS: Well, that's a false choice, because Joe Biden shredded the Remain in Mexico policy his first week in office. He did it very - with great flamboyance. And he could reinstate that today simply with a pen.

So the false choice of, hey, look at this disaster ...

SCIUTTO: That's not entirely true, as you know, many ...

WILLIAMS: That is true.

SCIUTTO: ... many of the moves ...

WILLIAMS: That's absolutely true.

SCIUTTO: ... well, many of the moves you've talked about that President Trump attempted were challenged in courts. You had a Democratic president here who was willing to get more ...

WILLIAMS: Wow, Remain in Mexico was not struck down by the court. That's just simply not true.

SCIUTTO: I'm talking about executive privilege and powers that the House is saying the President could exercise. But as you know, this is a president who is actually making concessions that previous Democratic presidents didn't make. I just wonder, why is it safer for your constituents to have no increased security at the border as opposed to that negotiated by your Senate Republican colleagues?

WILLIAMS: Well, I'm glad to hear you say that Joe Biden has provided no security at the border, along with Secretary Mayorkas. I think that's a bold admission by CNN.

SCIUTTO: That's not exactly what I said. I did not say it.

WILLIAMS: That is exactly what you said ...

SCIUTTO: I said compared to ...

WILLIAMS: ... that that was the choice.

SCIUTTO: ... no, I said, compared to no deal ...

WILLIAMS: No security at the border.

SCIUTTO: ... you had a tougher deal.

WILLIAMS: You said no security at the border.

SCIUTTO: No additional security, let's talk as people who respect each other. I respect your service. I'm asking you why no deal is better for your constituents for the rest of the year as opposed to a deal that significantly tightened up restrictions at the border?

WILLIAMS: Well, because five - permitting in the law, in the code, 5,000 per day on average over a period of time to enter the country is ...

SCIUTTO: As you know that's not true. That's not allowing 5,000.

WILLIAMS: It's - it is true, it's a disaster.

SCIUTTO: It was - and it was not allowing them in.

WILLIAMS: And 1,000 under ...

SCIUTTO: It was saying at 5,000 encounters, you don't entertain anymore encounters at the border.

WILLIAMS: ... 1,000 - no, it's - I'm sorry, is that respecting each other? Is that what you're getting at here as respecting each other?

SCIUTTO: Well, I will challenge you when you say something that's not true.

WILLIAMS: I'm a member of Congress, you're cutting me off.

SCIUTTO: Only when you say something not true.

WILLIAMS: It absolutely is true and - oh, I see. And you're the arbiter of truth, I realize that CNN has a great track record on all of that, so thank you.

SCIUTTO: Sen. James Lankford, a Republican Senator said that the 5,000 per day talking point was false. So, I'll quote him if you won't take my word for it, but ...

WILLIAMS: Well, I think the way that I couched it is 5,000 per day on average over some period of time when they would put a halt to it and then allow that accumulated number to be processed. Under the Obama administration, 1,000 a day was a crisis. And so now somewhere in the vicinity of 5,000 a day is somehow okay? That is not a fair choice.

SCIUTTO: Not as negotiated in the Senate ...

WILLIAMS: A secure border is okay.

SCIUTTO: ... (inaudible) the simple question I have for you is. Is it better for the country and your constituents to leave the status quo for the rest of the year, abandon a bipartisan deal or accept the bipartisan deal to improve security at the border as your Republican Senate colleagues said, it would do it?

WILLIAMS: That's good. Again, a false choice. The best thing for the country is for ...

SCIUTTO: It's actually - it was a vote ...

WILLIAMS: ... that Secretary ...

SCIUTTO: ... I mean, it's not a false choice, it's a vote.

WILLIAMS: ... the Secretary Mayorkas to enforce the law, which he has decided not to do and for Joe Biden to reverse his decisions that he made the first week in office. This crisis has happened under his watch. You can blame no one but the Biden administration. Any attempts to do that is completely absurd and I think that's really what's in the best interest for the American people.

SCIUTTO: Well, some of your Republican colleagues on the Senate side have done exactly that.