'Face The Nation' Host Accuses Hakeem Jeffries Of Hypocrisy For Using Trump Words

“Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan scolded House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for saying President Donald Trump is trying to “rig” the midterm elections. (Watch the video below.)

“You said, ‘Democrats, there are no election deniers on our side of the aisle,’” Brennan reminded him. “You said that back in January. But recently, you’ve been using the term ‘rigged elections’ in reference to the upcoming midterms. Democrats were appalled when President Trump used language like that. How do you justify using that now? Doesn’t that undermine faith for voters you need to show up?”

Jeffries kept his cool and shot back: “No, I’ve been using that term in the context of Donald Trump’s unprecedented effort to gerrymander congressional maps in a partisan fashion all across the country in order to rig the midterm elections and deny the ability of the American people to actually decide who should be in the majority as it relates to the House of Representatives. The framers of the Constitution were very clear.”

“You know, Democrats are also going through gerrymandering and redistricting,” Brennan interjected, referring to counter-measures undertaken by blue states such as California.

“No, no. no!” Jeffries replied. “Democrats are going to push back aggressively to make sure that we have fair maps across the country, not partisan gerrymandering, which Republicans have initiated in state after state after state.”

The Texas gerrymandering effort was the first volley fired in Trump’s second administration to gain more Republican House seats to maintain control of the lower chamber. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) fired back with a redistricting maneuver of his own to enhance Democrats’ chances.

In a statement this month promoting California’s Proposition 50 to redraw districts, Jeffries said: “Donald Trump is trying to rig the midterm elections. He wants to alter the congressional maps all across the country, starting in Texas, to try to rob all of you and the American people the ability to actually make the decision in a free and fair election as to who should be representing your interest in Congress.”

California’s Democratic Party hailed the proposition, which is up for vote on Nov. 4, as “a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew Congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.”