Congressman and the Challenge of Ambition
James Madison, in Federalist No. 51, famously noted that “ambition must be made to counter ambition.” He believed the various branches of government would safeguard their own interests. However, Madison likely never encountered Congressman Dan Goldman from New York, whose approach exemplifies how misplaced ambition can threaten the integrity of Congress itself.
This week, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressed concern over reports of special counsel Jack Smith monitoring phone calls made by members of Congress. Senator Chris Coons from Delaware remarked, “This seems like a blatant violation of senators’ rights to fulfill their responsibilities and needs immediate attention.”
Yet, amidst these serious allegations, Goldman rushed to minimize the issue. He trivialized the concerns, framing the legislators as legitimate targets while bolstering President Trump’s claims regarding election interference.
Goldman has become a prominent figure representing a more combative style of politics in Washington. His tactic often involves using public hearings as platforms to launch personal attacks against witnesses and opponents, frequently drowning them in insults while denying them the chance to respond.
What stands out about Goldman is his relentless dismissal of any Democratic wrongdoing, regardless of the evidence. He has a knack for denying obvious truths while simultaneously undermining those who challenge his views.
If denial could be considered an art, Dan Goldman might just be the master of it in today’s political landscape.
As instances of violence from the left have risen, there’s been a growing critique of groups like Antifa. But Goldman, in a somewhat perplexing move, has denied the existence of Antifa, demanding proof of membership from its alleged participants.
This was quite surprising for those who have documented Antifa’s activities for years, as groups like Portland’s Rose City Antifa are well-known, with extremists openly identifying with the movement.
Goldman even tackled the claims surrounding increased attacks on ICE officers, declaring that reporting such incidents was merely hype. While major outlets described these attacks as alarming, he dismissed them as exaggerated rumors.
When it comes to partisan misconduct, Goldman seems to have his limits. He consistently downplays efforts to reveal censorship under the Biden administration and rails against those trying to address it. He outright rejects criticisms regarding the Biden family business, despite evidence from former associates and communications suggesting corruption.
Even after mainstream media began acknowledging and validating Hunter Biden’s laptop, Goldman continued to label its significance as a “myth,” insisting that it was simply an exaggerated narrative.
Goldman has shown a pattern of defending Hunter Biden, even when faced with Congressional subpoenas and press scrutiny.
Despite his history, the idea that tracking congressional calls might overstep boundaries seems to register even with Goldman. Such tracking could put whistleblowers, journalists, and other citizens at risk when they reach out to their representatives.
He has criticized his colleagues for resisting government intrusion into private communications, even as some Democrats voiced concerns over the potential ramifications of such surveillance.
Goldman confronted Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin, accusing him of dishonesty. He attempted to downplay the implications of the call tracking by claiming that only the logs were seized, ignoring that this also revealed sensitive information about the communications themselves. He continued his attacks, dragging Johnson into unsubstantiated allegations related to past political events.
Goldman dislikes factual accounts pointing towards issues from the left, yet doesn’t hesitate to assert claims against the right without evidence. When Judge Diane Schaefer Goodstein’s house burned down in South Carolina, he took to social media to implicate the Republican Party before any evidence emerged, asking why there wasn’t widespread condemnation from the right.
Time and again, he jumped to unfounded conclusions, rather than allowing investigations to clarify the situation. In the end, while Goldman may represent a troubling trend in politics, the resilience of our constitutional system can weather the storm posed by any individual.
The broader issue is that many in New York’s 10th District seem to embrace this style of governance. Goldman has tapped into a particular audience—one that craves outrage and finds a fitting representative in him.
