Senior Fox & Friends contributor Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) goes on the show to denounce “sending checks to prisoners” under the Democrats’ covid relief bill — a provision Sen. Cotton himself voted for twice under the previous administration. Nobody says anything because this is Fox pic.twitter.com/Kr21qRM1hd
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) March 8, 2021
Tall-talking Tom Cotton of course wasn’t the only Republican senator to oppose President Biden’s stimulus bill who voted twice for stimulus measures with similar provisions during the previous president’s tenure. But his hypocrisy here is among the most towering. And, naturally, Fox News didn’t fill in the hypocritical context of Cotton’s latest demagoguery.
This issue is not so easy as Cotton wants to make it, by the way. States can intercept the money to pay for various prisoner obligations. Sometimes the money goes to families of inmates, who’ve lost an earner. Prisoners have basic hygiene needs and, in places like Arkansas, significant sums to stay in touch with families by telephone, a necessity when visitation isn’t allowed. Tom Cotton’s “pro-life” posture erodes when it comes to people behind bars.
His interview included more misleading demagoguery, such as claiming money is going to schools that are “closed.” They are not closed, but they may not be holding in-person classes. Expenses continue. Yes, money is going to what he likes to call “sanctuary cities” because they refuse to participate in draconian federal policies toward immigrants. But the money goes for the same needs as those in nonsanctuary cities. This is bad? Only to Tom Cotton.
UPDATE: Cotton tried to lie his way out of this demagoguery. He got caught.
Nope. Prisoners got checks from the Trump-signed, Cotton-backed CARES Act *because nothing in the law said prisoners shouldn’t get checks.* Post-signing, the IRS declared No Prisoners Allowed. The judge overturned the IRS because the law didn’t say that. https://t.co/v02bbiaMvP
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 8, 2021