'Can you shut him up?' House Democrats clash with Bessent in fiery hearing

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: ABC News

February 4, 2026, 6:45 PM


House Democrats clashed with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday during a fiery hearing on Capitol Hill that devolved into shouting matches and throwing sharp elbows.

"Can you shut him up?" Rep. Maxine Waters of California, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, at one point asked Chairman Rep. French Hill of Arkansas as Bessent repeatedly spoke over her question and ignored her repeated "reclaiming my time" declarations.

"Can you maintain some level of dignity," Bessent hit back. Waters and Bessent were going back and forth over President Donald Trump's tariffs, particularly on home building goods. Throughout the hearing, which was to be focused on the annual report from the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which monitors the stability of the U.S. financial systems, Democrats made the same "reclaiming my time" declaration as Waters.

Another tense exchange came during Massachusetts' Rep. Stephen Lynch's questioning of Bessent on a slowdown in investigations into corporations, asking if that concerned the secretary. As Bessent began to blame the Biden administration, Lynch interjected: "Please be responsive to my question."

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/shut-house-democrats-clash-bessent-fiery-hearing/story?id=129859858

[Skittles]

1. Bessent has the most punchable face since Mnuchin

seriously

[barbtries]

6. is he the one who's always grinning idiotically?

i can't think of the other guy who might be the grinning idiot.

anyhow. you're right.

[lonely bird]

11. Kevin Hassett

He, Bessent, Nutlick and Navarro are the four horsemen of the economic apocalypse.

[Katinfl]

14. Has sent is the one that always has a smile on his face. I want to punch him.

[barbtries]

16. thank you

I could not recall his name but that's the one.

interesting how russell vought is never in front of the cameras even though he's probably the 2nd most powerful person in the krasnov administration, after stephen miller.

[lonely bird]

17. Yup

Also one of the author’s of Project 2025.

Thus he is a terrorist.

[Skittles]

21. oh yes

he is another one

insufferable Trump humping assholes

[wolfie001]

2. So, the tRUMP admin. strategy is to blame all economic ails that the fat orange imbecile caused on Biden?

Hilarious! Stupid voters that think the fat, racist, nazi-wannabee dictator was ever a savvy businessman

[COL Mustard]

3. You really want to ask that question?

After all, they voted for him enough to saddle the rest of us with him, twice.

[cstanleytech]

4. Very true. nt

[barbtries]

5. there must be a standing order

for these asswipes that when they appear before congress their only 2 jobs are to 1. express total contempt toward the Democrats and 2. catapult the propaganda.
it is maddening.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. And "3."

accept no responsibility for their actions.

[barbtries]

8. correct.

though that could be argued to be integral to catapulting the propaganda.

now we know what happens when the only criteria for being hired is fealty to the king. gw did some of this, but krasnov and company have elevated it to a dark art.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. It's also deploying Raygun's "11th Commandment"

"Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican."

[barbtries]

13. i didn't know he said i.

but, makes sense.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. Supposedly back in the '60s

when he was running for governor of California!

[Skittles]

23. they stick to that ridiculous script

it's all they have

[Javaman]

9. Bessent is the guy...

who sits in a 5 star restaurant, slow drinking a 500 dollar a glass of wine, while smugly looking out the front window at a starving homeless person straight in the eyes, never blinking.

[delisen]

12. The dog ate my homework is Republicanism Denial of Responsibility

All defenses are invoked by the powerful in power positions to claim powerlessness

Some Common Variations:
1. We (I) inherited a mess!
2. No one could have foreseen…..
3. We had (have) no choice….
4. Mistakes happened…..
5. In the fog of war…
6. It was the other guy’s fault (bogeyman defense).

[GiqueCee]

15. Some day soon...

... someone is going to slap that smug smirk off that arrogant asshole's face. Can't wait to see it.

[TBF]

18. I can't stand that guy -

so entitled.

[JudyM]

19. He is revolting; just continuously yelled over Liz Warren, with personal insults and non responsive.

Overpowered her voice with his bellowing then acted like he won.

[Emile]

22. Scott Bessent is another partisan weirdo.