Democrat Tom Suozzi from Long Island avoided answering questions regarding the violent protests against ICE in Los Angeles by pretending to make a phone call, an awkward moment captured on video.
In the footage, a man approached Suozzi outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, ready to ask about the riots. However, instead of engaging, Suozzi appeared to take a call when the individual posed a question.
As seen on the clip, he briefly told the questioner, “Sorry, please wait.” Retrieved by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
As representatives from New York’s Third Congressional District continued to sidestep inquiries about the unrest in Los Angeles, one person asked Suozzi what he meant by suggesting that the riots were peaceful. Instead of responding, he turned to leave.
The same individual, frustrated, then questioned whether Suozzi viewed actions like throwing rocks at moving cars as peaceful. In response, Suozzi simply looked at the camera and reiterated, “I’m sorry, but I’m on the phone.”
“Enjoy the fake phone calls,” the questioner quipped, as Suozzi hurried away.
Maureen O’Toole from the National Republican Congressional Committee criticized Suozzi, labeling him as duplicitous after he avoided the issue.
“Two-faced Tom Suozzi calls himself a ‘common sense Democrat’, but when pressed about violent riots, he chooses to pretend he’s on a call rather than addressing the matter,” she stated, referencing a report by an independent journal.
“This isn’t just weak; it’s dishonorable. Suozzi’s failure to condemn the riots shows he’s completely beholden to the radical left,” she added.
In a response issued through a spokesperson, Suozzi acknowledged the phone charade, claiming it was a tactic employed by National Republicans to engage in “Gotcha Games.” Kim Devlin, Suozzi’s senior campaign adviser, commented on the situation.
The unrest has resulted in thousands pouring into downtown Los Angeles, protesting against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
President Trump’s administration responded by sending Marines and National Guard troops to manage the chaotic scenes of looting and violence.
While many Democratic leaders remained silent or blamed the president for the unrest, some, like Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania, condemned the riots, pointing out that they undermine freedom of speech and peaceful protests.
Fetterman remarked, “What we’re seeing isn’t free expression, it’s anarchy. My party loses its moral high ground when it fails to denounce violence against law enforcement and property.”
