It’s not surprising since CNN took a rightward turn that the network’s chief, Mark Thompson, called Jim Acosta, one of its highest-rating stars, to offer him the graveyard shift. Acosta does his job and doesn’t grovel to King Yam Tits. Acosta wasn’t taking any of Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee’s ‘whatabout’ shit when asked a simple question about Donald pardoning a slew of Jan. 6th defendants, some of whom violently assaulted police officers.
“Congressman, thanks so much for being here,” Acosta said. “Axios is reporting that Trump’s January 6th pardons were a last-minute decision. His team was reportedly wrestling with how to handle them, but according to one advisor, Trump said, quote, F it, release them all.”
“Your response,” Acosta said.
“Well, Jim, as always, it’s good to be on here for my weekly beating from you all at CNN, and I appreciate you, brother,” the Tennessee Republican said. “And I was thinking about you this morning, actually, because I remember Rush Limbaugh, somebody called in when Bill Clinton was elected president, and they said, oh, I bet you’re depressed.”
Acosta steered him back to the topic.
“I’m not so much worried about material, Congressman, as I am about the president releasing violent offenders who attacked the Capitol, where you’re standing right now on January 6th, people who were convicted of seditious conspiracy,” Acosta said.
“I spoke with Officer Harry Dunn at the top of the program,” he continued. “I spoke with the ex-wife of Stuart Rhodes, Tasha Adams. They are both worried about their safety.”
“Do you defend what Donald Trump did, releasing these people from prison, pardoning them, commuting their sentences?” Acosta asked. “Yes or no?”
“Well, I was the last person to leave the Capitol grounds, excuse me, the floor of the Capitol, last member of Congress, on January 6th, when all this went down,” Burchett said. ‘I was offended as anybody. If they crossed those barriers, they were breaking the law.’
‘But you got to realize, too, they were charged under federal law,” he continued. “Many of them never even saw their day in court and were sitting in a jail cell. So, the whole thing is bad news.”
“But you also- Congressman, I asked you a yes or no question,” Acosta shot back. “Do you agree with President Trump’s decision to pardon these violent people and release them from jail?”
“If they were truly violent, no. But do I know that they were?” Burchette asked. “I don’t know that.”
“What do you mean you don’t know that?” Acosta said. We’re showing the footage on the air right now. Congressman, you were there that day. There are offenders on January 6th who violently beat police officers. There are offenders who are convicted of seditious conspiracy. That is the truth.”
“This is a political world, Jim,” Burchett somehow said. “And I don’t remember you all on CNN condemning Joe Biden for commuting the sentences of murders and child molesters, which he did.
“Congressman, I’m not asking you about that,” Acosta said again. “Congressman, we have talked about Joe Biden’s pardons.”
“You never do, Jim,” the clearly confused Republican said. “You never do.”
“Congressman, we did talk about it,” Acosta said. “We talked about Joe Biden’s pardons.”
“Oh, Jim, you did not,” Burchett said. “You all read your report from the Democrat National Committee, as you always do, and you attack Americans.”
“That is absolutely false,” Acosta shot back. “Congressman, are you going to respond and say whether or not it is right to let these people out of jail?”
“I don’t know if it is or not,” Burchett said. “I’m not a lawyer, but I’ll tell you what isn’t right.”
“You’re a congressman,” Acosta reminded Burchett. “You’re a member of Congress. You’re an elected official. Take a stand.”
“They were not given due process. I told you, if they crossed the line, they were trespassers,” he said. “Should they rot in jail for the rest of their lives in a federal penitentiary and never be charged?”
“Beating, not trespassing,” Acosta reminded the Tennessee Republican. “Beating police officers. Tasing police officers.”
“Jim, what you’re forgetting to say is the ones that he didn’t release,” Burchette said. “Why did he not release those? There are several that he did. This blanket thing you’re all talking about is not a blanket pardon. There were several that he didn’t for those very same reasons. Why are you not focusing on them?”
“We’re talking about the leader of the Oath Keepers, the leader of the Proud Boys,” Acosta pressed. “They should be released from prison?”
“What about the leader of the FBI?” Burchette said for no explainable reason. “What about the FBI agents that were on the grounds, that were in that mess, that were helping orchestrate that?”
“Congressman, the leader of the FBI was not rioting at the Capitol that day and beating up police officers,” Acosta said. Whatever happened to Back the Blue? I want to show this. The Fraternal Order of Police, another police organization out there, the International Organization of Police Chiefs.”
“If we can show that up on screen, that would be great, Acosta said. “They both say that what President Trump did is wrong,” They’re deeply discouraged by these pardons.”
“Your party has said time and again, we Back the Blue,” Acosta added. “It sounds like you let down the Blue. You’re betraying the Blue.”
“Jim, why don’t you give an editorial and not let me come on,” Burchett complained.
Good job, Jim Acosta. Keep pounding them and if CNN lets you go, start your own damn video network.
