It's annoying how the GOP and conservatives are tainting so many debates and conversations by accusing people of being or defending pedophiles and "child groomers." That virus of stigmatization has even spread to the halls of Congress.
Recently, GOP Rep Ron Jackson (TX) accused Democratic Rep Katie Porter (CA) of defending pedophilia:
Porter's comments were said on Wednesday at Capitol Hill hearing, "The Rise of Anti-LGBTQI+ Extremism and Violence in the United States." And here is something which shouldn't be a shocker.
Jackson is lying. His tweet was blistered by several people including journalists, who said that he was deliberately mischaracterizing Porter's words.
Journalists such as Daniel Dale of CNN who provided a transcript of Porter's comments:
Absolutely not what Porter said. The transcript clearly shows she was arguing that LGBTQ people are *falsely* called groomers and pedophiles on social media merely because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. She did not defend pedophilia. https://t.co/35SfSiEQuN pic.twitter.com/MAkRoF4JUo
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) December 15, 2022
This is a vicious lie and you should delete it and resign. https://t.co/9Xldz0QGiW
— Ari Drennen (@AriDrennen) December 15, 2022
(Various other accounts preceded Jackson in doing this distortion of Porter's comments, notably including "Libs of TikTok," whose tweet spread pretty widely.) pic.twitter.com/59ctwHmujU
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) December 15, 2022