See below for a powerful speech earlier today by VA State Senator Jennifer McClellan (D) on the 54th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination. In the speech, Sen. McClellan referred to the fact that the US Senate is “on the verge of confirming Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first African-American woman to the U.S. Supreme Court.” That’s great, of course, but…as Sen. McClellan noted, “my heart is broken over some of the vitriolic rhetoric I’ve heard against her.” Vitriolic (and racist) rhetoric by Republicans, of course.
So anyway, those 100% accurate and appropriate comments by Sen. McClellan appear to have “triggered” far-right Virginia State Senator Mark Peake (R). Check out the video below Sen. McClellan’s, as Sen. Peake rants that Robert Bork was “absolutely trashed by the opposing party” (Bork, of course, was an extremist who had no business being on the Supreme Court, and who was rejected 42-58, with six Republican senators voting against); how Clarence Thomas was supposedly not treated well either (again, Thomas is an extremist who had no business being on the Supreme Court, but unfortunately was confirmed anyway); and how Brett Kavanaugh supposedly “was attacked” (and by “attacked,” Peake apparently means “was credibly accused by a woman of sexual assault”). In sum, Sen. Peake’s display, particularly after Sen. McClellan’s superb speech about Martin Luther King, Jr., epitomizes today’s angry, grievance-fueled, easily-“triggered” Republican Party.
Today to commemorate the 54th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination,. I reflected on his life and legacy and moved that the @VASenate adjourn in his honor and memory. #RememberingMLK #April4th pic.twitter.com/FgOfNz1Jst
— Jennifer McClellan (@JennMcClellanVA) April 4, 2022