Stephen Colbert Testimony "Sad," a "Joke," Says Congressman
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) sits on the immigration subcommittee to which Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert testified Friday, but you didn't see him at the hearing.
That's because Chaffetz views Colbert's testimony as a "joke." And not in a good way. Chaffetz said he returned to Utah to work rather than participate in the "Colbert skit."
"What's sad about it is in the 21 months I've been on the immigration subcommittee, we have only met ten times. We have never, never looked at a substantive bill to deal with the immigration issue. Then they call up Stephen Colbert? It solidifies the fact the Democrats, who control the gavel, who control who comes up there, really aren't serious about fixing this thing," Chaffetz said on Friday's "Washington Unplugged.
Chaffetz wasn't the only member seeminly unamused by Colbert's presence. Citing the spectacle the comedian inadvertently caused, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) asked Colbert at the start of the hearing to submit written testimony and excuse himself from speaking.
Colbert said he was there at the request of committe chair Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and would leave if she asked him to. He proceeded to deliver a testimony vastly different than the prepared remarks supplied to the committee.
In character, Colbert said the answer to immigration issues was for Americans to stop eating fruits and vegetables, and even offered to submit video of his colonoscopy to the congressional record.
"He's the best fake newscaster there is so if they're going to have a fake hearing, I guess he's the guy to do it," Chaffetz said. "It's just unfortunate I've sponsored close to a dozen bills that deal seriously with immigration and none of them have been brought up for discussion. None."
"It's fun and people may want to get their picture taken but it's sad because immigration is broken," he added.
CBS News congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes also appeared on Friday's "Washington Unplugged."
"Washington Unplugged," CBSNews.com's exclusive daily politics Webshow, appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 2 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.
