Thread by @jbendery

Today, Senate Republicans tried to blame one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees — Nina Morrison, an attorney with the Innocence Project who has freed dozens of innocent people from prison and death row— for driving up violent crime across America. huffpost.com/entry/republic…

This was one of the most bonkers Judiciary hearings I've ever seen. And there have been many.

One by one, Republicans, animated by faux anger, attacked a veteran attorney for the Innocence Project -- they free innocent people from prison! -- for unleashing violence in America.

Ted Cruz told this nominee, Nina Morrison, that "skyrocketing crime rates, homicide rates, burglary rates, carjacking rates" are ALL the direct result of policies she's spent her life advocating.

Hawley vowed to oppose her for being "soft on crime."

Huh?huffpost.com/entry/republic…

“I will oppose you and anyone else the administration sends to us who do not understand the necessity of the rule of law,” Hawley vowed to Morrison.

We are talking about an Innocence Project attorney here. Who has helped free 30+ innocent people from prison and death row.

Tom Cotton actually tried to shame Morrison for taking on one of her clients.

Ledell Lee was executed in 2017 after a murder conviction. But 4 years later, a different man’s DNA was found on the murder weapon, which was not previously tested....

“Even after Lee was executed, you continue to try to cast doubt on his guilt with new DNA tests, which proved inconclusive,” Cotton said, acting very mad.

She said Lee’s DNA evidence had never been litigated in court b/c his attorneys never asked for post-conviction DNA testing.

“In fact, one of Mr. Lee’s attorneys later admitted that he suffered from a serious drug and alcohol problem and did not provide Mr. Lee with the representation that he was constitutionally entitled to.

"There was male DNA on the murder weapon that did not come from Mr. Lee."

This was a little embarrassing.

Cotton, exasperated, argued Lee had been "convicted on the basis of eyewitness testimony."

Morrison: “Eyewitness identification, which you referenced, is actually the single leading proven cause of wrongful convictions." huffpost.com/entry/republic…

This was also a bit embarrassing.

Morrison: There is “a significant amount of compelling evidence” in favor of Lee’s innocence.

Cotton, with faux outrage: “Compelling evidence that courts somehow overlooked for 22 years until he was executed?”

Morrison: (wait for it)...

"Senator, I have represented many individuals who were exonerated by DNA who lost dozens of appeals in courts because DNA was not available."

Cotton had nothing to say.

So he pivoted to trying to make Morrison feel guilty for TRYING TO GET INNOCENT PEOPLE OUT OF PRISON.

Cotton to Morrison: “Are you proud that you encouraged such defiance of convicted murderers?”

He was referring to Lee, the guy who was executed who may have been innocent, apparently telling a warden he'd be back right before he was executed.

Like, what?

Morrison was extremely chill and sharp as she faced questions like this from Republicans.

"I don’t believe that anything in my career has ever encouraged defiance or disrespect for the process."

"I know that Mr. Lee maintained his actual innocence until his execution."

It felt like Cotton had nothing left to say to Morrison because she was shooting down all his absurd questions, so he just wanted her to feel bad.

"Would you like to say anything today to Debra Reese’s family?”

That's the woman allegedly murdered by Lee.

Morrison took that one like a fuckin pro, too.

“There is no question that Ms. Reese suffered a horrible death that no one in this world should suffer."

“I only hope the right person was convicted and executed because the contrary is unimaginable.” huffpost.com/entry/republic…

None of the GOP's questioning made sense until a pattern started to emerge.

1) R's were using Morrison's nomination as a proxy fight against progressive prosecutors.

2) R's were falsely blaming these prosecutors' policies for spikes in crime + trying to tie Morrison to them.

In other words, their attacks on Morrison were a coordinated effort to paint her as "soft on crime," which is a message that Republicans are trying to blow up more broadly about Dems, beyond judicial nominees.

Cotton actually tried -- and failed -- to push this message again Wednesday by attacking Dems for supporting a criminal justice reform law aimed at reducing the prison population.

Except this was Trump's law. And R's overwhelmingly supported it. huffpost.com/entry/tom-cott…

Womp womp.

Tom Cotton is 2 for 2 on the self owns today.

Anyway, thought y'all should know that Republicans are so hellbent on looking like they're "tough on crime" that they're attacking a judicial nominee who has spent her life getting innocent people out of prison as "soft on crime." huffpost.com/entry/republic…