Democratic California Rep. Ted Lieu chastised attorney Peter Kirsanow during a House hearing about the need for diversity in federal courts.
“Stop bringing in irrelevant issues, there are more Asian-Americans at these Ivy Leagues than in the federal judiciary, they’re underrepresented. These are different issues happening,” Lieu yelled at Kirsanow for bringing up the subject of Asian-American discrimination at Harvard University.
“Just answer my question about Asian-Americans in the federal judiciary or minorities in the federal judiciary because it is underrepresented,” Lieu continued with a raised voice. “Don’t bring in these college issues because this is not what the hearing’s about.”
Explosive exchange: @tedlieu yells at Peter Kirsanow when he mentions that one of the foremost examples of anti-Asian discrimination right now is at Harvard. This was during a hearing about the need for diversity on the federal courts. pic.twitter.com/q5cDrvSVmL
— Nic Rowan (@NicXTempore) March 25, 2021
Kirsanow continued on to agree with Lieu that Asian-Americans were underrepresented in the federal judiciary system, however he referred back his earlier point by explaining that “there has been discrimination in the pipeline,” discussed.
There is “profound discrimination against Asian-Americans. Without question, profound discrimination,” Kirsanow explained. “It’s one of the reasons why I indicated before we have an erosion in confidence in the institutions.”
“Because the perception by the public is we’re making determinations on the basis of race – one of the most baleful and anathema consideration we have in the United States because of history,” Kirsanow continued. “It’s precisely why I say that we must avoid at all costs, the perception that decisions are being made on the basis of race. And when you look at the correlative, with how decision-making is being made through the admissions process, it appears as if decisions in large part are being based on race.”
Lieu once again lashed out at Kirsanow stating, “we’re not talking about the admissions process, we are talking about the federal judiciary,” he said. (RELATED: CNN Issues Correction, Saying Rep. Ted Lieu ‘Grabbed A ProBar Energy Bar’, Rather Than ‘A Crowbar’ Amidst Capitol Riots)
“The fact that it is 73% white and male means decisions were being made on race of the applicant. And, that is simply a fact because it statistically would not have come out as 73% white and male,” Lieu responded. “The reason you can’t talk about the federal judiciary and you keep going to the college issue is because you know you have no basis on the issue of the federal judiciary. It just needs to be more diverse, it’s corrosive to America to have an entire third branch of government in which people were selected on the basis of them being white.”
In the wake of the recent shootings at three Atlanta-based massage parlors, which left eight people dead, there was been discussion surrounding the discrimination towards Asian-Americans.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian called out politicians in America for spreading racism and hatred, and called upon them to fix the racial discrimination towards Asian-Americans.