Skip to main content
U.S.

Senator tells witness ‘hide your head in a bag’ during heated hate crimes hearing

Share

A contentious exchange occurred on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Sept. 17, during a hearing focused on the rising incidence of hate crimes, particularly in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict that began nearly a year ago. The confrontation involved Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Maya Berry, the executive director of the Arab American Institute.

Media Landscape

See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this data
Left 57% Center 14% Right 29%
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News

Berry testified as one of the witnesses. During questioning, Kennedy asked her about her views on Hamas, to which she responded that she does not support the organization.

QR code for SAN app download

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

The senator then shifted the focus to her support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The organization, to which the U.S. has provided hundreds of millions of dollars, has faced its share of controversy after international investigation found that nine employees within UNRWA were working for Hamas.

They also helped plan the terror attack on Israel, according to the United Nations Office of Oversight. This discovery, along with findings that some UNRWA educators expressed antisemitic sentiments and called for violence against Jews, led Congress to cut off U.S. funding to the relief agency.

Kennedy raised these issues as he questioned Berry, resulting in chaos on the floor.

Kennedy questioned Berry’s support for UNRWA and tied it directly to Hamas. Berry reiterated her stance against Hamas and expressed concern that the questioning reflected broader issues.

In a pointed moment, Kennedy said, “You should hide your head in a bag.” The comment drew immediate backlash from Democratic members of the committee. Berry had a chance to respond later in the hearing.

“This has been regrettably a real disappointment but very much an indication of the danger to our democratic institutions that we’re in now,” Berry said. “I deeply regret that and I hope my testimony today has been helpful to understanding the need to respond to hate.”

Tags: , , , , , ,

THERE WAS A FIERY EXCHANGE ON CAPITOL HILL TUESDAY BETWEEN REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY OF LOUISIANA –

AND AN ARAB AMERICAN ACTIVIST THERE TO TESTIFY OVER A RISE IN HATE CRIMES.

AT THE END OF THEIR BACK-AND-FORTH –

THE SENATOR TELLS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARAB AMERICAN INSTITUTE –

THAT SHE SHOULD HIDE HER HEAD IN A BAG.

“I was very clear on my support for UNRWA. I oppose –”

“You should hide your head in a bag”

LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW THE HEARING GOT TO THIS HEATED MOMENT.

THE HEARING WAS HELD TO ADDRESS AN INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES – SPECIFICALLY SINCE THE START OF THE ISRAEL HAMAS WAR ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO.

ONE OF THE WITNESSES – 

“MAYA BERRY” – IN CHARGE AT THE ARAB AMERICAN INSTITUTE – WAS QUESTIONED BY KENNEDY –

STARTING WITH WHETHER OR NOT SHE SUPPORTS HAMAS.

“You support Hamas do you not?”

“Senator, oddly enough i’m going to say thank you for that question because it demonstrates the purpose of our hearing today. Hamas is a terror organization i do not support but you asking the director of the arab american institute that question very much puts the focus on the issue of hate in our country.”

THE SENATOR CONTINUED HIS QUESTIONING.

ASKING IF BERRY SUPPORTED HEZBOLLAH. AND THEN IRAN. TO WHICH SHE RESPONDED NO.

THE SENATOR – THEN FOCUSING IN ON BERRY’S SUPPORT FOR “UNRWA” –

THE ‘UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY’ –

WHICH SUPPLIES PALESTINIANS IN GAZA WITH HUMANITARIAN AID.

THE ORGANIZATION – TO WHICH THE U.S. HAS GIFTED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO – HAS SEEN ITS SHARE OF CONTROVERSY.

IT WAS LEARNED THROUGH INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION THE AGENCY HAD NINE “UNRWA EMPLOYEES” ON THE INSIDE **WORKING FOR HAMAS WHO HELPED PLAN THE TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAEL – ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS “OFFICE OF OVERSIGHT” INVESTIGATION.

THE DISCOVERY OF SOME HAMAS MEMBERS EMBEDDED INSIDE UNRWA – COUPLED WITH FINDINGS OF UNRWA EDUCATORS SPEWING ANTISEMITISM CALLING FOR THE MURDER OF JEWS –

CONGRESS CUT OFF U.S. FUNDING TO THE RELIEF AGENCY.

SENATOR KENNEDY – BRINGING THIS UP IN HIS QUESTIONING TO BERRY –

WHICH LED TO CHAOS AND BACKLASH.

“You called our decision to cut funding for them quote “an incredible moral failure.”

“That is absolutely correct. But that conversation is about foreign policy.”

“We did that because 9 unrwa staff members were fired for actually helping hamas on october 7th.”

“I don’t believe that’s correct.”

“Let me ask you one more time. You support hamas don’t you? You support hamas and unrwa don’t you?”

“I think it’s exceptionally disappointing that you’re looking at an arab american witness before you and saying you support hamas.”

“You know what’s disappointing to me? You can’t bring yourself to say you don’t support unrwa, you don’t support hamas.”

“I was very clear for my support for unrwa. I oppose –”

“You should hide your head in a bag.”

JUDICIARY DEMOCRATS CONDEMNED KENNEDY’S QUESTIONING IN THE REMAINDER OF THE HEARING.

WITH THE DEMOCRATIC JUDICIARY CHAIR DICK DURBIN ASKING BERRY IF SHE HAD ANYTHING TO SAY FOLLOWING THE EXCHANGE WITH KENNEDY.

This has been regrettably a real disappointment but very much an indication of the danger to our democratic institutions that we’re in now. I deeply regret that and i hope my testimony today has been helpful to understanding the need to respond to hate.”

HEY THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.

FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING –

DOWNLOAD THE S-A-N MOBILE APP TODAY.