Gohmert disrupts Ayer's opening statement
Rep. Louie Gohmert continually tapped on his desk to disrupt the opening statement of former Deputy Attorney General Donald Ayer after he went over his time limit during congressional testimony about political influence on law enforcement activity.
Video Transcript
DONALD AYER: In closing, it needs to be said that Bill Barr does regularly lie in ways that impact official action.
LOUIE GOHMERT: [KNOCKING ON DESK]
DONALD AYER: Along with his continuing media project to make Americans believe that the FBI conspired against Donald Trump, his statements about the Mueller report, Jeffrey Berman's supposed resignation, and Barr's own role in the events in Lafayette park--
LOUIE GOHMERT: [KNOCKING GROWS LOUDER]
DONALD AYER: --come quickly to mind. So does his practice of regularly early shrouding himself in the rhetoric and trappings of the rule of law even as he desecrates and undermines the institutions that make it possible. But to me, Barr's crowning dishonesty--
- The gentlemen still has the floor.
LOUIE GOHMERT: [LOUD KNOCKING CONTINUES]
DONALD AYER: --is the portrait of Edward Levy that a recent "New York Times" article showed hanging on the wall of his conference room as though the current incumbent--
- Regular order, regular order. The witness will conclude.
- Regular order is right.
- We're way beyond regular order.
- The witness will continue.
DONALD AYER: Can I have one more sentence here, your honor?
- By all means.
DONALD AYER: But to me, Barr's crowning dishonesty is the portrait of Edward Levy.
- Mr. Chairman, I would ask that the Sergeant at Arms be called upon to stop the disruption of this meeting. I can't hear this witness. This is a very important witness. Well, he's way beyond his--
LOUIE GOHMERT: There are no rules about when people can talk. There's no rules about when you can make noise.
- The gentleman makes a good point. And the chair will enforce the five minute rule. Witness will proceed.
- The chair is not enforcing the five minute rule. The witness will include.
- Mr. Chairman, this is outrageous. Do you have no respect for the rules whatsoever?
- The witness will conclude. He's two minutes beyond concluding. And you don't let us have that kind of time. You gavel down immediately. You're being grossly unfair. This man had a written statement and he knew to cut it to five minutes. He couldn't do it. Either we have rules or we don't.
- The gentleman will suspend. The witness will conclude.
LOUIE GOHMERT: Then we continue making noise. [LOUD KNOCKING RESUMES]
DONALD AYER: In closing, it needs to be said that Bill Barr does regularly lie in ways that impact official actions.
