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House committee hearing mischaracterized on social media
U.S. House Committee hearings can get relatively rowdy, but a recent Facebook post overreached in describing old footage.
"‘WHAT ARE YOU HIDING’ Nadler SCARED S------- after Jim Jordan DEMANDS to play EVIDENCE video," reads the description of a video in a June 5 post.
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
In the clip, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, didn’t demand to know what U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., was "hiding," nor did any other members of the House Judiciary Committee when they met that day in October 2021.
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Jordan, among other Republicans, criticized a U.S. Justice Department initiative to protect school board officials who faced threats of violence. After Jordan finished his remarks, he wanted to air a video he said showed parents speaking at school board meetings. Another committee member objected, and Nadler, then the committee chair, upheld an objection.
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Jordan pushed back on the decision, accusing Nadler of censorship. But he didn’t ask Nadler what he was hiding. Another committee member, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, asked Nadler, "Mr. Chairman, what are you afraid of?" while referring to the video. But there was no sign that Nadler was hiding anything. Nadler, meanwhile, didn’t appear scared.
We rate this post False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, June 5, 2023
C-SPAN, Justice Department Oversight Hearing, Oct. 21, 2021
Reuters, 'Snitch line': Republicans assail U.S. effort to protect school boards from violent threats, Oct. 21, 2021
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House committee hearing mischaracterized on social media
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