Rep. Clay Higgins is fending off widespread criticism after he was recorded physically removing a progressive activist from a news conference on Wednesday.
The activist, Jake Burdett, posted videos of his exchanges with Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, in which the congressman tries to stop Burdett from asking questions of GOP Reps. Lauren Boebert and Paul Gosar.
In one video, Burdett can be heard asking Gosar about his ties to a far-right extremist. In another, the activist asks Boebert about her recent divorce.
Republicans make a habit of calling liberals “snowflakes” to suggest they’re too thin-skinned, but conservative officials have established a track record of alarming outbursts toward people who dare question them.
Higgins, a former police officer who — according to his congressional website — maintains an “active commission” in law enforcement, released what appears to be a heavily edited video (featuring ominous music) that included multiple angles of him confronting Higgins. He also issued a statement using police terminology to baselessly claim Burdett was exhibiting mental health problems, suggesting that was his justification for grabbing him.
“Activist was a 103M. Threatening,” Higgins posted. The police code 103m refers to a disturbance by someone undergoing a mental health crisis. “He was escorted out and turned over to Capitol Police. Textbook,” Higgins added. The video includes a frame that labels Burdett an “agitator activist protester” who “became very disruptive and threatening, in violation of the law.” Notably, Burdett hasn’t been charged with any crimes.
But Higgins’ manhandling of an activist has revived criticism of his dark past as a cop. He quietly resigned from one police department in 2007 before he could face disciplinary action for alleged misconduct, including using unnecessary force against a Black man he encountered on the job. (Higgins initially lied about the incident to internal affairs before later…
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