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generalbetrayus

(1,549 posts)
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 03:54 PM 2 hrs ago

I sucked it up and watched the entire Judiciary Committee hearing today.

It may not get much if any press, but the moment today I found most stunning was when the last Republican on the committee to speak, Michael Baumgartner of Washington District 5, stated that when he was told that Jack Smith would be testifying before the committee he responded, "Who's Jack Smith?". Now who the hell who poses as a member of the US House of Representatives actually goes on national television and boldly claims ignorance of who Jack Smith is?


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I sucked it up and watched the entire Judiciary Committee hearing today. (Original Post) generalbetrayus 2 hrs ago OP
Taking dimwitted MAGA to whole new depths. Vinca 2 hrs ago #1
I couldn't watch the republican shit show vapor2 2 hrs ago #2
I couldn't watch it either Grim Chieftain 1 hr ago #9
Yes. He is proud to be ill informed. Repugs don't need to be informed, yellow dahlia 2 hrs ago #3
He coulda looked up Jack Smith in the phone book. usonian 2 hrs ago #4
Yes, he's a complete dunce, but in his infinite wisdom mcar 2 hrs ago #5
Darrell Issa was a preening jackass Rob H. 2 hrs ago #6
He does not watch news - watches Netflix with his four kids malaise 2 hrs ago #7
Oh my gosh... THANK YOU!!!!! I was yelling when he said that! tavernier 2 hrs ago #8
If he's really that stupid or lazy otchmoson 1 hr ago #15
Feigning abysmal ignorance is safer than condemning Donvict malaise 56 min ago #22
I can't even... tavernier 24 min ago #29
Who's Michael Baumgartner? sop 1 hr ago #10
My sorry ass congressman. hoosierspud 1 hr ago #14
Thank you for watching for us and giving us the breakdown, question about Baumgartner... blue_jay 1 hr ago #11
He's a Republican. Chemical Bill 1 hr ago #17
I think he was uninformed - he claimed to never watch the news, although he could be lying, of course. generalbetrayus 40 min ago #24
You ask: AverageOldGuy 1 hr ago #12
Blood pressure definately up. GOP is a Drumpf butt licking, cowardly, lockstep, pissers on the Constitution. n/t Evolve Dammit 1 hr ago #13
I totally agree. Chemical Bill 1 hr ago #16
Didn't sit and watch it, but had it on while doing chores. Have to say it was allegorical oracle 1 hr ago #18
Really? DrMJG10 1 hr ago #19
You are a strong person, Dr! generalbetrayus 38 min ago #25
A fool is not a big enough fool, markodochartaigh 1 hr ago #20
Thank you for your sacrifice. Jim Jordan's opening did me in. I tried but the GOP Reps were too hard to take surfered 57 min ago #21
I, too, thank you otchmoson 41 min ago #23
Absolutely not. He was the picture of cool under fire. I thought he did look tired of all the Republican bullshit generalbetrayus 35 min ago #26
Meh, more preening and acting superior "Jack who? guffaw." Javaman 35 min ago #27
Who's Michael Baumgartner? red dog 1 33 min ago #28
It's the MAGA Mike Johnson theory of responding oldtime dfl_er 9 min ago #30

vapor2

(3,943 posts)
2. I couldn't watch the republican shit show
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 03:58 PM
2 hrs ago

Too much effn drama for me. Republicans all lie and kiss trump's ass

Grim Chieftain

(1,323 posts)
9. I couldn't watch it either
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:21 PM
1 hr ago

Thank goodness for the DUers who took one for the team to keep us informed.

yellow dahlia

(4,874 posts)
3. Yes. He is proud to be ill informed. Repugs don't need to be informed,
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:02 PM
2 hrs ago

they have their own opinions.

I too took note.

usonian

(23,775 posts)
4. He coulda looked up Jack Smith in the phone book.
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:07 PM
2 hrs ago

There are 97 people named Jack Smith in Washington, DC
There are 749 people named John Smith in Washington, DC

mcar

(45,733 posts)
5. Yes, he's a complete dunce, but in his infinite wisdom
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:12 PM
2 hrs ago

based on his now-great knowledge of the cases, Smith is a corrupt hack, etc.

Rob H.

(5,792 posts)
6. Darrell Issa was a preening jackass
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:13 PM
2 hrs ago

If this were a garden-variety court hearing, I like to think that the judge would've admonished him to stop testifying instead of asking questions and to actually give Smith a chance to answer the questions he asked rather than interrupting him every. single. time. Of course Gym Jordan couldn't be arsed to do that.

Brandon Gill, the Texas representative after Issa was just as bad, imo. Let Smith answer your questions rather than butting in and hurrying him along as if you had somewhere more important to be.

malaise

(293,446 posts)
7. He does not watch news - watches Netflix with his four kids
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:14 PM
2 hrs ago

WTF is he doing in Congress?
My jaw dropped 😕

tavernier

(14,303 posts)
8. Oh my gosh... THANK YOU!!!!! I was yelling when he said that!
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:14 PM
2 hrs ago

How on earth does anyone on the US House of Representatives not know who Jack Smith is??? He was obviously trying to be smarmy by minimizing Smith’s position, but only made himself look incredibly stupid and ignorant. My kids and grandkids know who Jack Smith is, and none of them are particularly political.

otchmoson

(287 posts)
15. If he's really that stupid or lazy
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:54 PM
1 hr ago

He cannot possibly be well representing his constituents. If he is serving his "leader", he certainly does not have the spine to advocate for the needs of his constituent. Either way--this should be forwarded to the local democrats in the district as a future oppo advertisement.

tavernier

(14,303 posts)
29. I can't even...
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:56 PM
24 min ago

Oh damn. Why bother. No vaccine for terminal ignorance and if there were, RFK wouldn’t allow them to take it anyway.

hoosierspud

(219 posts)
14. My sorry ass congressman.
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:53 PM
1 hr ago

He makes us long for the halcyon days when we were represented by Cathy McMorris Rogers.

blue_jay

(191 posts)
11. Thank you for watching for us and giving us the breakdown, question about Baumgartner...
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:26 PM
1 hr ago

in your opinion was he actually that uninformed or was he being deliberately disingenuous to make it seem like Jack Smith was not someone worth listening to or knowing about? Or just trying to get some press coverage since like others have mentioned, who is Michael Baumgartner?

generalbetrayus

(1,549 posts)
24. I think he was uninformed - he claimed to never watch the news, although he could be lying, of course.
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:40 PM
40 min ago

He is a Republican after all. But I also think he thought it was somehow funny that he allegedly did not know who Jack Smith is; he smirked as he said it.

AverageOldGuy

(3,422 posts)
12. You ask:
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:27 PM
1 hr ago
Now who the hell who poses as a member of the US House of Representatives actually goes on national television and boldly claims ignorance of who Jack Smith is?

ANSWER: Any Republican is fully capable and willing, just to keep Trump happy.

Evolve Dammit

(21,553 posts)
13. Blood pressure definately up. GOP is a Drumpf butt licking, cowardly, lockstep, pissers on the Constitution. n/t
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 04:50 PM
1 hr ago

allegorical oracle

(6,258 posts)
18. Didn't sit and watch it, but had it on while doing chores. Have to say it was
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:05 PM
1 hr ago

deadly depressing. So many Repugs who solidly support him -- literally denying/reversing facts that we saw with our own eyes on Jan. 6. They are either superbly (or purposely) ignorant. All for what? Like him, they have no shame.

Can't comprehend why they so stubbornly approve of a proven, embarrassing liar and bully leading our country.

DrMJG10

(59 posts)
19. Really?
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:05 PM
1 hr ago

I knew who Smith was before he was even confirmed due to his reputation of his work in the ICC!!!

How did this congress critter, who made this remark, even get elected.? (Sarcasm) Know how and why it he got his GOP ass in congress.

BTW, I watched the whole day as well. Had a drink afterwards!!! Was a good boy and limited the drinking to one!!!

surfered

(11,916 posts)
21. Thank you for your sacrifice. Jim Jordan's opening did me in. I tried but the GOP Reps were too hard to take
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:24 PM
57 min ago

Statements in the form of a question they really didn’t want an answer to.

otchmoson

(287 posts)
23. I, too, thank you
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:39 PM
41 min ago

Since I didn't watch, can you tell me this: Did Jack Smith shout, flail, talk over, misdirect, and name-call that we witness everytime we see a Republican leader appear before Congress?

generalbetrayus

(1,549 posts)
26. Absolutely not. He was the picture of cool under fire. I thought he did look tired of all the Republican bullshit
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:45 PM
35 min ago

at the end of the session.

Javaman

(65,234 posts)
27. Meh, more preening and acting superior "Jack who? guffaw."
Thu Jan 22, 2026, 05:46 PM
35 min ago

just more buffoonery from the spineless right wing. sycophants

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