Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) slammed “arbitrary standards” and “non-answers” during an exchange with the Federal Bureau of Prisons director about attempts to interview Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon.
“…when John Gotti is allowed…and Peter Navarro isn’t, it’s hard to ascertain how Gotti would be less notorious.”
(Video: House Committee on the Judiciary)
Tuesday on Capitol Hill, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance heard testimony from BOP Director Colette Peters regarding management, operations, and staffing challenges. It also sought to address concerns about alleged disparate treatment of inmates for political reasons.
“Director Peters, do you remember telling me that Peter Navarro was too notorious when I wanted to interview him during his incarceration?” asked Gaetz earning an affirmative from the director after a correction on who they were discussing.
“I want to get into how you determine that an inmate is too notorious for an interview or not too notorious for an interview. What is the standard you apply?” the congressman tried prompting Peters to deflect, “I think it’s really important for the committee to understand that the request was about him appearing on a podcast. It wasn’t about facilitating a meeting with the two of you, which my office followed up and said we would clearly facilitate.”
“There’s only one avenue, as we talked about in our policy, around being able to appear on a podcast, and that’s our media policy. And you, with your personal podcast, that is not official-” she continued.
“No, it’s my official podcast,” Gaetz cut in before she finished speaking. “Members of Congress do podcasts to function as video newsletters to tell the American people what’s going on. So I wanted to interview Navarro. You said he was too notorious. You’ve acknowledged that was the basis. So I want to know now what test you apply to determine that someone is or is not too notorious.”
“…here’s what it looks like,” the Florida lawmaker insisted after reminding her that Michael Avenatti had given an interview from federal prison. “You’ve acknowledged that the reason you didn’t let me interview Navarro was because you said he was too notorious. And then I’ve spent more than a minute trying to get you to explain what the test is for that notoriety. And you can’t explain one. You just keep going back to, ‘Well, we couldn’t facilitate you. We’re trying to be helpful.’ That wasn’t helpful.”
Peters’ claim that she was “as helpful as possible” was summarily slapped down by the congressman who continued, “And when you have standards that are subject to just any interpretation you want, then you carry with the entire bureau the belief that you guys are just being arbitrary. Because when John Gotti is allowed to do an interview for federal prison and Peter Navarro isn’t, it’s hard to ascertain how Gotti would be less notorious.”
With plans to interview Bannon as he served a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress after Navarro had completed his own, Gaetz pressed the director for a specific answer on whether that was going to be permitted.
“This is a legislative affair. You’re testifying before your oversight subcommittee. Why don’t you just tell us that you’ll approve our trip to go to Danbury?” he asked as she insisted the “long-standing process” had to be followed. “You lead the department. There’s not some other person. You’re the head of the Department. Why can’t just say we can go?”
Before concluding his line five minutes by voicing concern that the Mexican Mafia is currently operating within American prisons, Gaetz decried her “total non-answer. I mean, this is what we get, Mr. Chairman. This is what we get. Arbitrary standards, non-answers, and frankly, if we continue to fund it and tolerate, it’s all we’re going to get.”
“I would encourage some robust oversight here. I would not want to be in a position where you guys denied this request,” he added with agreement on social media.
Can you defund them and cut her salary?
— Tara (@Tara15482537174) July 23, 2024
Take away the $$$$$$
— King Arthur ⚔️☠️ (@KingArt51769658) July 23, 2024
When schools don’t comply, you withhold the money. Should be no different here.
— Royrogers55 (@Royrogers551) July 23, 2024
Stop the funding. Who is running the Country?
— Anita You to Open Your Mind to new info! (@AnitaMorga6224) July 23, 2024
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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