U.S. Senators Get Into Shouting Match Over Tax Cuts For The Wealthy

Sen. Orrin Hatch

This was really quite the exchange yesterday between Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah.

During a Senate Finance Committee hearing last night, Brown accused Republicans of pushing a tax plan that provides a tax cut that’s “not really for the middle class, it’s for the rich.”

Brown clearly seems to have touched a nerve with the Republican.

Via The Hill:

Hatch, the committee chairman, quickly fired back at Brown, saying that he isn’t advocating for the rich but comes “from the poor people.”

“I’ve been here working my whole stinking career for people who don’t have a chance," Hatch said. "And I really resent anybody who says I’m just doing this for the rich. Give me a break."

“I think you guys just overplay that all the time and it gets old, frankly you ought to quit,” he continued. “I get kind of sick and tired of it. ... It’s a nice political play, but it’s not true.”

Brown quickly responded, saying that he gets “sick and tired of the richest people in this country getting richer and richer.”

The two senators loudly talked over each other as they tried to regain control of the floor.

“Listen, I’ve honored you by allowing you to spout off here but what you said was not right, that’s all I’m saying,” Hatch said. “I come from the lower-middle class originally, we didn’t have anything. So don’t spew that stuff on me, I get real tired of that crap.”

Not surprisingly, the plan was advanced out of the committee by a party line vote of 14-12.

Watch below.

Sherrod Brown really takes the fight to Orrin Hatch here. No Trumpian namecalling or low blows. Instead focusing on the GOP helping only the ultra-rich. Judging by how mad Hatch got, Brown hit a soft spot. pic.twitter.com/WxDFb8ipHB

— Adam Best (@adamcbest) November 17, 2017