Kennedy's Opening Statement At Yesterday's Hearing

 The following email was received today from the Kennedy campaign:

Dear Armand, Yesterday, I testified at a Congressional committee about censorship and the weaponization of federal agencies. Here is my video comment on the hearing.  Many of the committee members treated me fairly and with dignity. Others – members of my own party – descended into baseless smears and insults. These tactics are precisely how censorship works. An individual is associated with something loathsome — anti-Semitism, racism, extremism, etc. Having been deemed untouchable, they are targeted for deplatforming.  Ranking Democratic committee member Debbie Wasserman Schultz attempted this right off the bat, motioning to move my testimony to a closed-door, secret “executive session” so the American public would not have a chance to hear me. Her argument, basically, was that my views are so hateful and disgusting that to entertain them in public is tantamount to inciting violence.  Of course, this was all grandstanding. I doubt any committee member actually believes I am as diabolical as they tried to paint me. This kind of tactic, though, is tearing our nation apart. The question is, “Will these tactics work?” And the answer is, “That is up to the public.” And especially, it is up to you.  The tactics work when people shy away from the smear target. They backfire when people are so fed up with the divisiveness and incivility that they redouble their support.