As protesters interrupted a Republican-led House committee hearing on Democrat-pushed gun control, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, called out the obstruction of an official proceeding Thursday.
"Is this an insurrection?" Fallon, the chair of the House Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs, said from the dais. "So will they be held to the same ... I don't want another Jan. 6. Do we?"
Obstruction of an official proceeding is a charged levied on many Jan. 6 protesters by President Joe Biden's Justice Department.
"Uh, ma'am, ma'am, all right," Fallon said, stopping the hearing when the protesters became unruly. "Please remove that woman, officers, please. You're removed. You're breaching protocol and disordering the committee room."
She continued to protest and Fallon responded to her, "Nope, nope."
"Officers, please remove her, and remove the gentleman, too," Fallon said.
After initial interruptions of the joint hearing of the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, Fallon stopped to admonish protesters' outbursts and issue a warning about legal authority to remove and charge obstructers, angrily reading a statement.
Video posted by the Washington Examiner showed a voice — sounding like that of Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I. — responding to Fallon on the insurrection remark.
"If they're trying to overthrow the government, they ought to be held to the same standard, but I think they're trying to express their ..." the Democrat said before being interrupted.
Fallon then gaveled his fellow member.
"Woah, woah, woah — member is out of line," Fallon said.
The voice suggested Fallon's time has expired, but Fallon reminded his Democrat colleague, who missed the start of the hearing, they had claimed more time because a Democrat earlier had run over.
Fallon then gaveled the hearing back in before another protester outburst.
"Does the Capitol Police not do their jobs?" Fallon said incredulously, mumbling to Rep. Andy Biggs. "What in the hell is going on?"
Fallon then immediately recessed the hearing.
The committees were holding a joint hearing on "ATF's Assault of the Second Amendment: When is Enough Enough?" hearing arguments against the Biden's administration's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives limiting the rights of gun owners.
The House Freedom Caucus' latest budget proposal seeks to cut funding for 11,000 FBI personnel and freeze ATF hiring, according to the Examiner.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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