Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) grilled Kristen Clarke, President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the civil rights division of the Department of Justice, during her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday over her controversial past.
“Your advocacy and frankly, extreme position on defunding the police is paired with a history of not only excusing, but celebrating, murderers who have murdered police officers,” Cruz said. “It’s been reported that during law school you helped organize a conference with speakers who referred to convicted cop killers as ‘political prisoners.’ This included Mumia Abu-Jamal, who murdered a Philadelphia police officer, and Assata Shakur, who was convicted of murdering a New Jersey state trooper, escaped from prison, and is on the FBI’s most-wanted list.”
“Did you organize the conference and do you support celebrating those who murder police officers as heroes and political prisoners?” he asked.
Clarke said that the conference was organized by a “noted historian” and that she was “a student providing support for the institute, working on a range of projects.” She said that she does not celebrate the loss of life.
“So if you say you didn’t organize the conference, why did multiple speakers at the conference thank you by name for inviting them to speak at the conference?” Cruz pressed.
“Because I was a hardworking student that made sure people were fed, mailed out invitations, provided the agenda,” she responded. “I was a student providing logistical support to a notable historian who was the one who organized that conference.”
“So, if there is a police officer in Philadelphia or New Jersey today watching this hearing, how are they supposed to react to your nomination to one of the senior positions of the Department of Justice, knowing that as a student you participated in a conference celebrating and lionizing cop killers who murdered a Philadelphia police officer and a New Jersey state trooper?” Cruz asked. “How should a cop today watching this react to that news?”
She responded by claiming that she does not celebrate the loss of life or the killing of a police officer.
WATCH:
Sen. Ted Cruz to Biden pick Kristen Clarke: "If there is a police officer in Philadelphia or New Jersey … watching this hearing, how are they supposed to react to your nomination… knowing that as a student you participated in a conference celebrating & lionizing cop killers?" pic.twitter.com/HcdN7XVMCZ
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) April 15, 2021
TRANSCRIPT:
TED CRUZ, SENATOR: Your advocacy and frankly, extreme position on defunding the police is paired with a history of not only excusing, but celebrating, murderers who have murdered police officers. It’s been reported that during law school you helped organize a conference with speakers who referred to convicted cop killers as ‘political prisoners.’ This included Mumia Abu-Jamal, who murdered a Philadelphia police officer, and Assata Shakur, who was convicted of murdering a New Jersey state trooper, escaped from prison, and is on the FBI’s most wanted list. Did you organize the conference and do you support celebrating those who murder police officers as heroes and and political prisoners?
KRISTEN CLARKE, DOJ NOMINEE: That conference you’re referring to was organized by the late Dr. Manning Marable, a noted historian, who led the Institute for Research in African-American Studies. I was a student providing support for the institute, working on a range of projects. To the second question, Senator, no, I do not celebrate the loss of life.
CRUZ: So if you say you didn’t organize the conference, why did multiple speakers at the conference thank you by name for inviting them to speak at the conference?
CLARKE: Because I was a hardworking student that made sure people were fed, mailed out invitations, provided the agenda. I was a student providing logistical support to a notable historian who was the one who organized that conference.
CRUZ: So, if there is a police officer in Philadelphia or New Jersey today watching this hearing. How are they supposed to react to your nomination to one of the senior positions of the Department of Justice, knowing that as a student you participated in a conference celebrating and lionizing cop killers who murdered a Philadelphia police officer and a New Jersey state trooper? How should a cop today watching this react to that news?
CLARKE: I have never and would not ever celebrate the loss of life or the killing of a police officer. Senator, not ever.
CRUZ: Do you believe they’re political prisoners?
DICK DURBIN, COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Senator Cruz. Thank you, Senator Cruz.