OK, we’ve got good news, and bad news.
We’ll give you the good news first: CNN decided to do some actual journalism for a change. Now it’s time for the bad news. The bad news is that they didn’t think it was necessary to do it until now. And given the subject of their report, they really, really shouldn’t’ve waited.
See, their new scoop is about Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his rather problematic history. And while it’s not really news that Hakeem Jeffries is problematic, it should matter just how problematic he truly is.
Hakeem Jeffries claimed on the House floor that Republicans don’t want children to learn about the Holocaust.
Yet this shameless hypocrite defended notorious anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan! pic.twitter.com/NOu7wTYIdC https://t.co/FqHVkOGpDA
— Jack Pandol (@jackpandol) April 12, 2023
Hakeem Jeffries is in no position of moral authority to invoke the Holocaust when dealing with Republicans, or to be lecturing anyone on the treatment of Jews. Not when he’s promoted the likes of Louis Farrakhan and then lied about it to save political face.
NEW: Hakeem Jeffries' 'vague recollection' of controversy surrounding his uncle’s anti-semitism – he said he couldn’t even recall press coverage of it – undermined by college editorial, press conference he led defending him and Louis Farrakhan https://t.co/xFUVy91bzn
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) April 12, 2023
While Jeffries was a college student at Binghamton University in upstate New York, the Black Student Union, in which Jeffries was an executive board member, invited his uncle to speak on campus after his inflammatory comments caused an uproar.
And in a previously unreported college editorial, Jeffries defended his uncle along with Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan, writing, “Do you think that a ruling elite would promote individuals who would seek to dismantle their vice like grip on power?” He added that they were unfairly targeted by “White media” for challenging “the longstanding distortion of history.”
Leonard Jeffries faced widespread backlash in the early 1990s after comments he made about the involvement of “rich Jews” in the African slave trade and “a conspiracy, planned and plotted and programmed out of Hollywood” of Jewish executives who he said were responsible for denigrating Black Americans in films.
“Dr. Leonard Jeffries and Minister Louis Farrakhan have come under intense fire,” wrote Jeffries in February 1992. “Where do you think their interests lie? Dr. Jeffries has challenged the existing white supremist educational system and long standing distortion of history. His reward has been a media lynching complete with character assassinations and inflammatory erroneous accusations.”
Unless Hakeem Jeffries suffered a traumatic brain injury between college and being elected to Congress, we’re not sure how something like that would’ve just slipped his mind.
Jeffries told WSJ, when first elected to Congress in 2013 he only had a "vague" memory of it, because he was at school and press there wasn't covering it. But he led a press conference defending inviting his uncle to campus after his incendiary comments.https://t.co/xFUVy91bzn pic.twitter.com/uIbWv28VRE
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) April 12, 2023
The editorial from Hakeem Jeffries was mostly harshly critical of Black conservatives, who Jeffries compared to "house negroes." https://t.co/xFUVy91bzn pic.twitter.com/jTGuHrzOcq
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) April 12, 2023
Sounds like Hakeem Jeffries has a racist antisemite problem. At best, he’s OK with racist antisemites. At worst, he condones racist antisemitism or even embraces it.
And Jeffries apparently has quite a few supporters who are fine with any or all of the above:
Nice try. They were kids.
— Nope (@ISOAnon4eva) April 12, 2023
So now we should be held accountable for things our family members say or do? The majority of us would be screwed.
— greeneyed lady 🦋 (@crpswarrior1) April 12, 2023
I certainly hope nobody judges me by any of my Uncle's actions. Good grief!
— Evelyn Lomax 🌿 ☀ (@EVELYNLOMAX3) April 12, 2023
Hakeem Jeffries doesn’t deserve to be judged by his uncle’s actions. But he most definitely deserves to be judged for defending them.
Do you remember everything you did in college?
Jeffries got his degree in 1997. You were a toddler back then.
— anniewalsh (@anniewalsh1972) April 12, 2023
Good grief. Is this your feeble attempt to deflect from the egregious bribery of Clarence Thomas? Do better. Much better.
— Blue Fruch (@BFrMo) April 12, 2023
Actually, CNN did do better. Much better than they usually do with regard to holding Democrats accountable. Good on CNN for it. Hope they do it again soon.
LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO https://t.co/WwFpssJjVH
— greg (@greejis) April 12, 2023
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Related:
Hakeem Jeffries says House Resolution condemning murderous socialist dictators would hurt Dems
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