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If you made it through six-plus hours of Michael Cohen’s hearing yesterday, you know that Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) had a few serious drop the mic moments.
The freshman Democratic Congresswoman was not playing around with President Trump’s former lawyer or her Republican colleagues. Not only did her smirk make headlines, so did her line of questioning for Cohen, who said under oath that he believes that his former boss is a “con man” and a “racist.”
Pressley’s opened up her five minutes emphasizing how the truth needs to come to light, asking direct questions about the alleged fraud of the Trump Foundation, which she claims was abused like a personal piggy bank.
The 45-year-old Chicago native also used her time to address an outrageous incident that occurred earlier during that day.
See, to debunk Cohen’s notion that Trump is racist, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) disgustingly brought out Lynn Patton, a Black female official for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Under his reasoning, how could Trump be racist if this Black woman vouches for him and works for him.
Thankfully, this little stunt did not go over well, and Pressley made sure she made note of it.
“Would you agree that someone could deny rental units to African-Americans, lead the birther movement, refer to the diaspora as ‘sh*t-hole countries,’ refer to white supremacists as ‘fine people,’ have a black friend, and still be racist?,” asked Pressley.
Michael Cohen replied, “Yes.”
Pressley added: “Would you agree that someone could deny rental units to African Americans, lead the birther movement, referred to the the diaspora as ‘s***hole countries’ & refer to white supremacists as ‘fine people’ have a black friend & still be racist?”
Cohen: “Yes.”
In addition, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) were also on point, with Tlaib calling what Meadows a “racist” act.
“Just because someone has a person of color, a black person, working for them does not mean they aren’t racist and…the fact someone would actually use a prop, a black woman in this chamber, in this committee, is alone racist in itself.”
Talib’s statement sent the white congressman into a hilarious tearful emotion meltdown where he stressed that he couldn’t be racist because he has nephews and nieces of color.
Afterwards, Pressley posted a video sharing her thoughts on the hearing and why the American people need to know the truth about the President’s behavior.
Folks flocked to Twitter to cheer on Pressley and her colleagues Ocasio-Cortez and Talib for showing the committee how to get the job done.
1.
Ayanna Pressley:
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) February 27, 2019
Can a man run the birther movement, deny rental applications to Blacks, say white nationalists are good people, have a Black friend and be racist?
Cohen: yes
☕️
2.
I have a theory for why @AOC and @AyannaPressley handled their hearing better than other, older Dems.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) February 28, 2019
It’s bc they didn’t *need* the national TV attention. TV is not how they reach their constituents. They didn’t need to *look* like they were working, they could just work.
3.
.@AyannaPressley is pure power.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@K_JeanPierre) February 27, 2019
4.
What’s the name of their album? pic.twitter.com/9pX4FPMLSM
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 28, 2019
5.
Ayanna Pressley just re-litigated the Lynn Patton moment in a big way. #cohenhearing
— Joy WE VOTED!! WEAR A MASK!! Reid 😷) (@JoyAnnReid) February 27, 2019
6.
It's blurry but this @AyannaPressley side eye, made while Meadows lost his mind over the suggestion that he could possibly do something racist, is still a beautiful thing to behold. pic.twitter.com/FR0WTCKDh0
— Emma Gray (@emmaladyrose) February 27, 2019
7.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley's face as Rep. Mark Meadows tears up over Rep. Rashida Tlaib's comments. pic.twitter.com/fRQ2cikUi0
— Gillian Brockell (@gbrockell) February 27, 2019
8.
Ayanna Pressley with a banger question! Lays out all the racist shit Trump has said and done--denying rentals to Black people, calling African countries shithole countries, leading the birther movement, and asks if a person like that could have a Black friend.
— ⚖️Imani ‘I Smell Sex and’ Gandy ⚖️ (@AngryBlackLady) February 27, 2019
Cohen: Yes.
BOOM
9.
These young women of color elected freshmen did not come to play! The way Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Tlaib stormed that Cohen hearing yesterday is nothing short of amazing!
— Preston Mitchum (@PrestonMitchum) February 28, 2019
10.
During her questioning of Michael Cohen, @AyannaPressley notes the House is also addressing the following today:
— Swing Left (@swingleft) February 27, 2019
- Drug pricing
- Consumer privacy
- Universal background checks
- Subpoenas related to family separation
Elections have consequences. #WhyTheHouse #CohenHearing
11.
DAMN @AyannaPressley!! "Can someone have a black friend and still be racist?" @MichaelCohen212: "Yes." Awesome. #CohenHearing
— Eliza Orlins (@elizaorlins) February 27, 2019
12.
the last three women to ask questions of Cohen show why it is important to have a diverse Congress. They asked a series of questions that were pointed and addressed issues that were largely overlooked by everyone else.
— Steve Saideman (@smsaideman) February 27, 2019
13.
Every photo that I've seen of Ayanna Pressley, today, she looks like she's waiting for her turn to throw down. 😂 pic.twitter.com/sDbnuGioKH
— Genie Lauren (@MoreAndAgain) February 27, 2019
14.
"Well, let there be light." @AyannaPressley
— John Iadarola (@johniadarola) February 27, 2019
15.
She had me at that look.#MarkMeadowsTears @AyannaPressley pic.twitter.com/FCRpDQ65Kx
— Sisyphus Exhausted (@ChuckSysyphus) February 28, 2019
16.
.@AyannaPressley ‘s face is a whole ass MOOD. pic.twitter.com/66ZjN6QKDX
— Cher Martinetti (@thecherness) February 28, 2019
17.
far too much of the day was spent with meandering nonsense, but thank you @AOC, @AyannaPressley and @RashidaTlaib for getting to the point and clearly exposing the fraud, racism and criminal conduct of the President
— maura quint (@behindyourback) February 27, 2019
18.
Yall Ayanna Pressley finna FLAME Cohen chile... pic.twitter.com/EPWxKNsaGt
— Nicole Bad & Blerdy (@alamanecer) February 27, 2019
19.
The new women of the 116th Congress were terrific today, notably vice-chair Katie Hill and AOC, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib. Each made her mark today--and strongly. #CohenHearing
— Victoria Brownworth #LockThemUp (@VABVOX) February 27, 2019
20.
“I did not need coffee this morning, I just stared at these three congresspeople, eyeing Michael Cohen, and I snap, crackle, popped right out of bed and into the day.” https://t.co/sZ11WdAith
— Rachel Barnhart (@rachbarnhart) February 28, 2019