Grassley shouts down Schumer at immigration hearing

"I never said that!" Grassley insisted, about suggesting that immigration reform be delayed over the Boston attacks VIDEO

Topics: Video, Chuck Grassley, Chuck Schumer, Immigration, Immigration Reform, Boston Bombings,

Grassley shouts down Schumer at immigration hearingSen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa (Credit: AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Monday’s Senate hearings on immigration reform got a little fiery when Sen. Chuck Grassley interrupted proceedings to insist that he never suggested delaying immigration reform over the Boston bombings. “I never said that!” he exclaimed to Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Schumer was giving a statement on the bill, and said that Americans “will not be satisfied with calls for delays and impediments towards the bill.  I would say to my colleagues – and I understand their views are heartfelt – the chairman has a very open process, so if you have ways to improve the bill, offer an amendment.” He continued: “Those who are pointing to the terrible tragedy in Boston as, I would say, an excuse for not doing a bill or delaying it many months or year–”

Grassley interrupted: “I never said that! I never said that!”

Schumer shot back: “I didn’t say you did sir!” Once order was restored, Schumer continued: “Those remarks were not aimed at anyone on the committee or the three witnesses. There were people out there, you read it in the newspapers, who have said it.”

Watch:

During a prior Senate hearing on immigration reform on Friday, Grassley had kicked things off by saying: “We also appreciate the opportunity to talk about immigration. Particularly in light of all that’s happening in Massachusetts right now and over the last week.”

“We are here trying to understand why these events have occurred,” Grassley continued. “It’s hard to understand that there are people in this world that want to do Americans harm, so this hearing is an opportunity to refocus on the issues at hand and the importance of remaining vigilant and secure in our homeland.”

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

Next Article

Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

The week in 10 pics

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • This photo. President Barack Obama has a laugh during the unveiling of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Tx., Thursday. Former first lady Barbara Bush, who candidly admitted this week we've had enough Bushes in the White House, is unamused.
    Reuters/Jason Reed

  • Rescue workers converge Wednesday in Savar, Bangladesh, where the collapse of a garment building killed more than 300. Factory owners had ignored police orders to vacate the work site the day before.
    AP/A.M. Ahad

  • Police gather Wednesday at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to honor campus officer Sean Collier, who was allegedly killed in a shootout with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects last week.
    AP/Elise Amendola

  • Police tape closes the site of a car bomb that targeted the French embassy in Libya Tuesday. The explosion wounded two French guards and caused extensive damage to Tripoli's upscale al-Andalus neighborhood.
    AP/Abdul Majeed Forjani

  • Protestors rage outside the residence of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday following the rape of a 5-year-old girl in New Delhi. The girl was allegedly kidnapped and tortured before being abandoned in a locked room for two days.
    AP/Manish Swarup

  • Clarksville, Mo., residents sit in a life boat Monday after a Mississippi River flooding, the 13th worst on record.
    AP/Jeff Roberson

  • Workers pause Wednesday for a memorial service at the site of the West, Tx., fertilizer plant explosion, which killed 14 people and left a crater more than 90 feet wide.
    AP/The San Antonio Express-News, Tom Reel

  • Aerial footage of the devastation following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in China's Sichuan province last Saturday. At least 180 people were killed and as many as 11,000 injured in the quake.
    AP/Liu Yinghua

  • On Wednesday, Hazmat-suited federal authorities search a martial arts studio in Tupelo, Miss., once operated by Everett Dutschke, the newest lead in the increasingly twisty ricin case. Last week, President Barack Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker, R.-Miss., and a Mississippi judge were each sent letters laced with the deadly poison.
    AP/Rogelio V. Solis

  • The lighting of Freedom Hall at the George W. Bush Presidential Center Thursday is celebrated with (what else but) red, white and blue fireworks.
    AP/David J. Phillip

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Comments

14 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>