This Texas Republican Would Really Prefer You Don't Ask Him About the Violence Against Women Act

[douglas9]

The Violence Against Women Act, a landmark law passed by Congress in 1994 aimed at protecting women who are victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, is set to expire on December 7. And while two VAWA-related bills have been introduced in the House, including a long-term extension by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and other House Democrats, no Republicans have yet to sign on as co-sponsors.

So at a forum in Dallas on Thursday, a local TV reporter asked Texas Republican Rep. Pete Sessions about voting against VAWA reauthorization five years ago. Sessions, who is in the middle of a contentious reelection campaign against Democrat Colin Allred, a former NFL player turned civil rights attorney, decided to use the opportunity to mansplain to a reporter how Congress works.

A video of the exchange shows Sessions, chair of the House Rules Committee, going back and forth with NBC 5 reporter Laura Harris in an increasingly testy manner. Sessions said he supported the law but eventually told Harris she was “confused” before lecturing her on the difference between policy and appropriations. When Harris pushed him further, Sessions responded, “You still want to keep running this camera, or you want to learn about this?”

When asked by NBC 5 in Dallas about his 2013 "NO" vote on the Violence Against Women Act, Congressman Pete Sessions has a meltdown.

He accuses the reporter of being "confused" and asks if she wants to "keep running this camera? Or do you want to learn about this?” #TX32 #VAWA pic.twitter.com/PI5KHF6ssJ

— Josh Stewart (@JoshDStewart) October 5, 2018

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/10/pete-sessions-vawa-reauthorization-colin-allred-texas/

[duforsure]

1. All Texan republicans have abandoned women now

Abbott, Cornyn , Cruz, and all in the House have also now. What's disturbing is some continue to support them even though they continue doing many things to hurt them with.