On Tuesday, HUD Secretary Ben Carson had a contentious exchange with hard-left Congressman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) during which she insulted him by telling him he was “unqualified” for his job and said he was “carrying the water of what I believe to be one of the most morally bankrupt presidents in our nation’s history.”
After the exchange, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) mocked Carson, tweeting, “Not sure he was fully awake, maybe he meant to reclaim his time back to sleep.” Carson turned around and wrecked the pro-abortion representative, tweeting, “Since you brought it up… I know what it’s like to actually be sleepy, especially after 18-hour surgeries and operating on babies in the womb. I hope @IlhanMN knows I care about all people, even those she doesn’t recognize as having a right to life.”
The exchange between Pressley and Carson started like this:
Pressley:
Secretary Carson, I’ve waited a long time for this moment, but the residents of my district, the 7th Congressional in Massachusetts, have been waiting far longer for your agency to do its job. Colleagues across the aisle earlier were critical of the passion and even outraged that we’ve expressed on this side of the aisle; I make no apologies for that. This matter is very, very personal. Let me be clear: Housing is a fundamental human right, and the displacement of families should be regarded as the public health crisis that it is. Mr. Secretary, your pioneering work in pediatric neurology is historic, and it is is something to be commended, and so it pains me that your gifted hands and mind are doing the bidding and carrying the water of what I believe to be one of the most morally bankrupt presidents in our nation’s history, increasing rifts, evicting families. You mentioned that the operating room was a safe haven away from all the troubles of the world. A safe haven. That’s exactly what a home should be, and what every single person, particularly our children, deserve.
Today you are not here as a doctor or even as our Surgeon-General which I think might be better suited for your talents, but as the official tasked with leading the agency overseeing our nation’s crumbling housing stock. And for that, I do believe you are unqualified … When you imply that people are living in public housing because of a desire to be self-sufficient, questioning a work ethic, when we are eliminating stock but not increasing supply, people in the Massachusetts 7th Congressional district would have to work 84 hours to afford a decent one-bedroom at fair market rent … Given your medical background, perhaps you could weigh in on the health consequences of failing to invest in safe housing. Mr. Secretary, since I am short on time here, yes or no: is stable and safe housing a social determinant of health?
Carson: Sounds like you have not been here and heard most of my testimony.
Pressley: Please just answer my question, reclaiming my time. yes or no. Is stable and safe housing a social determinant of health?
Carson: There is no question that housing is an important part—
Pressley: Yes or no?
Carson: There is no question that it’s a part of health.
Pressley continued, finally asking, “Yes or no: if left unaddressed, do you believe the substandard housing conditions pose a risk to tenants’ physical, mental and emotional health, if left unaddressed?”
Carson: Yes or no: can you ask me some questions yourself —
Pressley: You don’t get to dictate what my line of questioning is. Reclaiming my time. You’re a very smart man.
Carson: You can reclaim it all you want.
Pressley: You’re a very smart man. You understand the question, Please answer it. Yes or no: if left unaddressed … do you believe the substandard housing conditions pose a risk to tenants’ physical, mental and emotional health?”
Carson: You already know the answer to that.
Pressley: Yes or no.
Carson: You know the answer.
Pressley: Yes or no. I know the answer. Do you know the answer? Yes or no.
Carson: Reclaiming my time.
Pressley: You don’t get to do that.
Carson: Oh.
Omar then tweeted:
Carson answered: