Video Suggests Barbara Boxer Really Wasn’t Afraid Of Sanders Supporters
A video has surfaced that is putting doubt on Senator Barbara Boxer’s claims that she feared for her safety while at the Nevada State Convention. During her contentious speech, Sanders delegates loudly booed her as she stood defiantly at the podium. Her response to Sanders delegates can only be described as arrogant.
“When you boo me, you’re booing Bernie Sanders… keep on booing, and boo yourselves out of this election.”
A video of that verbal assault has already circulated the internet. Not until five days after the convention did another video go viral: A video of Boxer walking casually from the podium, blowing sarcastic kisses to the Sanders delegates.
All in all, her attitude and body language belied a person not afraid, but arrogant, smug, who was delighting in mocking Sanders and his supporters.
One of the first signs the Nevada Democratic Convention would not go smoothly for Sanders delegates would be the large Hillary Clinton banners hung on the walls near the stage. No banners or signs touting Bernie Sanders were visible.
Indeed, Bradley Schrager’s formal complaint to the DNC regarding the behavior of Sanders delegates and the campaign in general included screen captures of these so-called threatening text messages. All phone numbers were still visible. A quick search reveals that one of the phone numbers goes to Racine, Wisconsin, and the owner of the number corresponds to the name of an upscale real estate development in the Merton, Wisconsin, area.
This might be the same person who was contacted by Anna Merlan, a writer with Jezebel. The young man admitted to texting Lange and said he had purposefully played a threatening character to get his point across. He told Merlan he was “undertaking and Anonymous-esque action” by expressing his anger at her actions.
“She is very much a top person. The establishment people like her have been on the internet themselves writing posts that try to incite hate. Try to incite frustration. They pay off trolls to start problems and stuff like that… people are getting frustrated and I only have $300 to my name. I have no ability to get any more help than I can.”
The young man Merlan spoke to identified himself only as Ethan. He explained he has disabilities that make it impossible for him to work. He said he’s faced discrimination and criticism over it and wanted to give Lange a piece of her own medicine.
Sanders has faced pressure from fellow Democrats who have sharply criticized his supporters’ actions, but there is something to be said about being an agent provocateur, a role which Lange and Boxer played expertly. In Nevada, there is a law against purposefully provoking people to violence.
“NRS?203.030??Provoking commission of breach of peace.??Every person who shall by word, sign or gesture willfully provoke, or attempt to provoke, another person to commit a breach of the peace shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. [Part 1911 C&P § 150; RL § 6415; NCL § 10097]”
In essence, it is a “fighting words” law, that provides protection to people who are intentionally provoked to anger or violence by a person or persons who are doing their best to get that type of reaction.
It is worth noting the nepotism and favoritism that seems to be running through the Democratic Party, especially in the case of Barbara Boxer. In 1994, Boxer’s daughter, Nicole, married Hillary Clinton’s brother, Tony Rodham. The couple divorced in 2000. Their son is Boxer’s grandson and Clinton’s nephew.
With her retirement announced — she has said she will not seek re-election after her term is up — she is not risking an election by making it easier for Clinton to get the nomination. As Boxer walked out of the room jauntily and surrounded by police and aides, her actions of “blowing kisses” sarcastically and then flipping off Sanders supporters proves that she did not fear for her safety. She was laughing and mocking them.
[Photo by Michelle Rindels/AP Images]
