Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain said he is willing to put up with protesters in his hearings, but he is concerned that members of Code Pink on Thursday physically threatened former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who is 91.
Kissinger, along with fellow former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright and George P. Shultz were testifying when members of the group held up a sign calling Kissinger a war criminal and approached the witness table. One of the protesters dangled a set of handcuffs over Kissinger's head,
McCain said Thursday on Fox News Channel's "Your World with Neil Cavuto."
McCain said it is the first time he has seen protesters physically threaten someone in a hearing room. Only one Capitol Police officer was in the room, "and that individual really didn't do anything," McCain said.
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Several senators left the dais to stand between the protesters and the witnesses until more police could enter to remove the protesters, he said.
"Now, this is a 91-year-old man, who, by the way, is recovering from a broken shoulder who … has served his nation, in my view, incredibly honorably over many, many years, going all the way back to World War II," McCain said. "And they treat him this way."
McCain said he believes the protesters should be arrested for potentially threatening Kissinger.
As the protest continued, McCain warned the group to sit down and shut up or face arrest.
"Get out of here, you low-life scum," he finally said.
"Usually, what they do is stand up and yell and scream. I've been to many hearings where they do it," McCain told Cavuto. "But this is the first time where I've seen almost a physical confrontation."
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