'Answer yes or no!' Dem rages at Pam Bondi as House hearing gets heated
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) admonished Attorney General Pam Bondi for failing to increase fentanyl seizures under President Donald Trump.
"Fentanyl seizures are down 30% compared to last year," DeLauro told Bondi during a Monday House Appropriations Committee hearing. "And that data is coming from the Customs and Border Patrol, CBP."
The Democratic lawmaker noted that Bondi had promised to prevent "gunrunners in our country" before calling for a 26% cut to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, or ATF.
"How can you justify such a massive cut without inevitably weakening ATF's ability to help our state and local law enforcement fight illegal gun trafficking?" DeLauro asked. "How many ATF law enforcement officers and industry operations investigators do you anticipate will be lost to attrition as a result of this funding reduction you are proposing?"
Bondi insisted that ATF agents "will not be knocking on the doors of legal gun owners in the middle of the night" on her watch.
"I have three minutes," DeLauro complained.
"No, no, no, you asked me a question," Bondi shot back.
"I did," DeLauro stated. "And you haven't answered my question... Mr. Chairman, I'd like an answer to my question. And the question is not being answered. How many?"
"As I was attempting to answer your question very calmly, unlike you, what the-" Bondi said before being interrupted.
"Excuse me, Madam Attorney General!" DeLauro exclaimed. "Answer, yes or no, tell me what the numbers are! I don't want to hear all of your filibuster about this! Go ahead, please, tell us the numbers."
However, Bondi continued not to answer the question.
"You know, Mr. Chairman, you give me a certain amount of time, and I have a high respect for you, but I don't have to listen, nor do my colleagues have to listen to a filibuster when it's a simple question," DeLauro scolded. "The proposal will weaken our ability to stop gun traffickers. And it will greatly reduce ATF support for state and local law enforcement that helps them prevent and solve violent crimes. It's a bad proposal."