Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wound up flummoxed and looking like a hypocrite today during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” when she was shown footage of January 6 protesters attacking police and asked if she had a double standard regarding how to treat anyone who assaults a law enforcement official.
After discussing the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis this week by an ICE agent, hostJake Tapper showed Noem video of the Jan. 6 riot.
“Those are law enforcement officers being physically attacked,” Tapper stated. “By this standard, would any of those officers be justified in shooting and killing the people causing them physical harm?”
“Every single situation is going to rely on the situation those officers are on,” Noem replied. “But they know that when people are putting hands on them, when they are using weapons against them, when they’re physically harming them, that they have the authority to arrest those individuals.”
Tapper then reminded Noem that her boss doesn’t share her view of the two incidents.
“The president pardoned every single one of those people.”
Noem insisted there was no double standard, despite the fact that there is and always has been when it comes to the topic of Jan. 6, which many Republicans refuse to condemn.
“And every single one of these investigations comes in the full context of the situation on the ground,” Noem said. “And that’s one thing that President Trump has been so focused on — is making sure that when we’re out there, we don’t pick and choose which situations are in which laws are enforced and which ones aren’t. Every single one is being enforced under the Trump administration, and the clarity of the law stands. And if people don’t like it, these members of Congress and elected officials should go change the law and make sure they have that debate and policy.”
But Tapper didn’t buy her BS.
“I just showed you video of people attacking law enforcement officers,” he said. “Undisputed proof, undisputed evidence. And I just said President Trump pardoned all of them. And you said that President Trump is enforcing all the laws equally. It’s just not true. There’s a different standard for law enforcement officials being attacked if they’re being attacked by Trump supporters. We just saw that.”
Rather than respond, Noem dodged, weaved, evaded, and then did a massive faceplant.
“This individual, and these instances, and these investigations all have to be taken and done correctly in context of every situation that is happening on the ground,” Noem claimed. “So what we are doing today…the Department of Homeland Security is out there with our law enforcement officers, making sure that we’re targeting the worst of the worst and that we are talking factually about each situation and making sure we are bringing those perpetuators of violence back to justice, bringing them to justice and making sure they face consequences for their crimes.”
Based on the actions of the Trump administration, it’s fair to say that you can beat a cop to death at the Capitol and get away with it, but the minute you dare to protest peacefully the way Renee Good did, you get a bullet to the head. That’s not just a double standard. It’s the hallmark of fascism and tyranny.
To watch the full interview, visit CNN at this link.
