Dr. Jo Olson, Southern Chair, Progressive Caucus
Speaking in favor of passage of the resolution to censure Senator Dianne Feinstein, Southern California Chair Jo Olson opened debate.
"We have taken a lot of flak, a lot of heat for splitting the party, for fracturing the party, for putting a division in the party, for going against party lines and yet we stand here today, and we have members of our Congress and members of our Senate who make egregious breaks from party lines and are not held accountable. I think that we face a very serious situation today."
After reading the resolution to the gathered 200 caucus members, Dr. Olson continued, "I just think it's incredible audacity that we're even having a discussion about it. It's TORTURE, it's TORTURE, it's TORTURE. Dipping human beings in water and pretending to drown them is TORTURE, actually drowning them, it's torture. I'm a physician and I've seen people die...it's horrible...There's no reason that our senator from this incredibly Democratic state in this country should be coming anywhere close to supporting it and I hope you will all join me we're not going to accept and send a strong message that we're not going to accept this kind of behavior and judgment."
