Everyone knows that Republicans aren’t exactly famous for their compassion for others, but Virginia Rep. Dave Brat managed to take that stereotype to the next level this week. Brat, a Freedom Caucus member who is facing a far-better-funded former CIA operative in his battle for a third term, spent some time with inmates at the Chesterfield County Jail on Wednesday, and made sure the incarcerated folks knew just how hard he’s got it as a congressman.
After one inmate described the difficulties she would face after release in finding work and stability—and Chesterfield Sheriff Karl Leonard mentioned the need for additional funding for longer-term stays—Brat turned the conversation back to his campaign against Democrat Abigail Spanberger.
“You think you’re having a hard time--I've got $5 million worth of negative ads coming at me,” he said. “How do you think I’m feeling? Nothing’s easy. For anybody.”
The gentleman from Virginia didn’t seem quite self-aware enough to realize that berating inmates struggling with addiction might be a little ridiculous and cruel, as well as present odd optics in the political sphere. Surely some handler was nearby to save him from himself, right?
Nope. Brat just kept going, telling his (literally) captive audience not only what they think, but just how wrong they are to think that thing that he decided that they think.
“You think I’m a congressman, ‘Oh, life’s easy, this guy’s off having steaks every day.’” he said. “Baloney. I’ve got a daughter, she’s got to deal with that crap on TV every day.”
“So it’s tough,” he continued. “No one out there’s got some easy life. Right?”
Yes, this really happened. Here’s the audio. You can hear Brat clipping off the ends of everyone’s sentences with staccato “yeps” and “rights” in an effort to pretend like he’s really listening—but clearly, he’s just waiting for his turn to talk (about himself). He finally gets his chance about 1:17 into the clip.
Brat did eventually manage to return his focus to the inmates, claiming he wasn’t “dismissing” their struggles by talking about his campaign. Completely ignoring Sheriff Leonard’s request for more funding for longer recovery programs, Brat instead rattled off a positively useless and likely redundant list of wholesome distractions that he thinks addicts should turn to instead of drugs.
In an interview after the meeting, Brat waffled when asked about his thoughts on whether convicted felons—like some of the folks whose suffering he’d just compared his own to—deserved a pathway to reclaim their right to vote.
Spanberger, the candidate poised to snatch Brat’s congressional seat away from him, was quick to respond to the congressman’s nonsense, voicing the anger and shock any compassionate human would feel after hearing Brat’s self-centered rant.
Not long after Brat’s ridiculous jailhouse visit was reported by local media, Donald Trump used his Cheeto-tinted thumbs to copy-paste this recycled endorsement of Brat on Twitter.
As of this writing, Rep. Brat has offered no comment or clarification on his tone-deaf conversation with the Chesterfield inmates, but he has found time to thank Trump for his endorsement.
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