Content ==================================================
In his customary style, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) tore into National Park Services Director Jonathon Jarvis for treating “pot-smoking” demonstration with more respect than the nation’s war veterans.
As is also his custom, Gowdy was determined to get satisfactory answers to his questions, challenging Jarvis time and time again to cite the federal regulation that prompted the NPS to put up barricades to keep veterans away from the war memorials on the first day of the shutdown.
Gowdy also pointed out that the Park Service failed to issue a single citation when Occupiers camped out at D.C.’s McPherson Square for 100 days — 100 days in “non-compliance” with federal regulations. Jarvis responded: “That was two years ago.”
Unfortunately, Gowdy was ready for the beleaguered director:
“Well, I can cite you the regulation that you did not follow two years ago. Can you cite me the regulation that required you to erect barricades from accessing a monument that they built?”
“On the very first day of the closure, I implemented a closure order for all 401 national parks in compliance with the Anti-Deficiency Act,” Jarvis replied.
“And immediately, that day, also included, as a part of that order, that First Amendment activities would be permitted on the National Mall.”
Gowdy shot back:
“Do you consider it First Amendment activity to walk to a monument that you helped build, or is it only just smoking pot at McPherson Square?”
Incredibly, Jarvis said that the veterans would have been allowed to visit the war memorials if they had declared it their First Amendment right to do so. The unfazed Gowdy replied: “Who were they to declare it to, a barricade?”
Again, incredible. 90-year-old veterans in wheel chairs who built the WWII Memorial, as Gowdy put it, should be required to declare their First Amendment rights to visit that monument – most of them for the first and last time of their lives – yet illegal aliens are permitted to hold an immigration rally on the National Mall during the shutdown – while being cheered on by the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Charlie Rangel?
This is no longer the country you fought for, guys.