International15 FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017 GOP lawmaker gets drubbing over health reform WILLINGBORO, New Jersey: Tirades, he bellowed into the microphone, jab- yells and cries of “liar” lit up a town hall bing his finger in MacArthur’s direction meeting in New Jersey, where for five to cheers and applause. The father from hours furious Americans tore into a Pine Beach said his wife lives in fear of Republican congressman for attempt- her cancer returning and their two chil- ing to repeal Obamacare. Tom dren have cardiac and thyroid condi- MacArthur came home to his swing dis- tions. “I will not forgive, I will not forget,” trict to face the music Wednesday after he yelled, explaining that he lives in fear helping to write the amendment that of losing his job and not being able to allowed a controversial health reform afford health coverage if the bill passes. bill to pass the lower house last week. “You are the reason I can’t sleep,” he But if healthcare was the focus, the added, slamming the moderate largely hostile audience vented general Republican for working with “an orange- outrage at President Donald Trump, haired buffoon” in the White House. taking issue with his temperament, his Republicans blame Obamacare for sacking of the FBI director and investi- sending insurance premiums soaring gations into whether his campaign col- while reducing options for millions. luded with Russia in last year’s election. Those who passed the bill says it is a Hour after hour, the polarization of US necessary reform. But Democrats say politics was laid bare as the former WILLINGBORO, New Jersey: US Representative Tom MacArthur speaks to the law helped 20 million Americans insurance broker was harangued by a constituents during a town hall meeting on Wednesday. —AFP gain health coverage and saved thou- crowd of several hundred in the largely “Folks I didn’t come here to defend a Ginter, 47, stole the show from the sands of lives by barring insurers from Democrat town of Willingboro, north- president tonight,” said the congress- front row, subjecting a red-faced protecting people with pre-existing east of Philadelphia. “Nobody with a man at one point, pleading with heck- MacArthur to a 10-minute monologue conditions. “I hear people shouting out pre-existing condition will either be lers to keep quiet. Outside the venue lashing the health bill as “immoral”. vulgarities,” hit back MacArthur after declined coverage or priced out,” insist- dozens of protesters held up posters being interrupted an umpteenth time. ed MacArthur, defending the bill. “That reading “Killer Tom” and “People with- ‘Greatest threat’ “This is part of what’s wrong in is a lie,” shot back a woman as the out healthcare die!” near a skeleton. “You have been the single greatest America, there’s no civil discourse,” he crowd groaned. Inside certified medical assistant Geoff threat to my family in the entire world,” added. —AFP Comey firing leaves red hot case to successor White House clash with any FBI chief inevitable WASHINGTON: After FBI director James Comey’s firing, his successor faces a tough challenge to assert independence while pursuing a politically-charged investiga- tion into links between Donald Trump’s DAYTONA BEACH, Florida: Some Bethune-Cookman presidential campaign and Russia. Analysts University graduates turn their backs as US Secretary of and former agents say Comey’s exit gives Education Betsy DeVos delivers the commencement the Federal Bureau of Investigation much- address to the graduates at the Ocean Center on needed space to get past accusations that Wednesday. — AP he botched the probe into Hillary Clinton’s email server last year, helping swing the DeVos heckled election to Trump. But, as FBI directors ever since the agency’s creation 108 years ago have at black college found, politics is never far away, and clashes with the occupants of the DAYTONA BEACH, Florida: Education Secretary Betsy White House who select them are DeVos vowed support for the students at a historically almost inevitable. Whoever takes the black university at their graduation ceremony, but was lead of the 30,000-strong investigative nearly drowned out by booing and shouts of “Liar!” Many agency could also end up crossing graduating students turned their back to her in protest. swords with Trump over the probe into DeVos sought common ground with her audience at Russian interference in the election, Bethune-Cookman University on Wednesday by praising which the president has repeatedly the school’s founder and mission, delivering a plea to LOS ANGELES: Protesters denounce the firing of FBI Director James Comey by branded “fake news”. avoid the “chorus of conflict” and asking that people listen US President Donald Trump amid investigations into possible collusion But not aggressively following that to those they may instinctively perceive as opponents. risks more accusations that the agency But since then FBI chiefs serve presi- the Democratic president. Freeh was “Let’s choose to hear one another out,” DeVos said, has given in to politics. “It is no longer dents at their own peril. Hoover’s suc- never apologetic about taking a stance reading her prepared text in a measured tone despite con- possible for the FBI to conduct its inves- cessor L Patrick Gray, acting director against Clinton, whom he said lacked tinuing waves of boos, catcalls and only scattered tigation into the Trump campaign’s under president Richard Nixon, was “moral compass”. “His closets were full applause. DeVos alienated many African-Americans in involvement in Russian electoral inter- forced out after just under a year for of skeletons just waiting to burst out,” February when she described historically black colleges as ference in any meaningfully independ- obeying White House orders and burn- Freeh wrote in a 2005 tell-all book. “real pioneers when it comes to school choice”. After a ent way,” said Julian Sanchez, a senior ing Watergate-related documents. storm of criticism, she acknowledged that these colleges fellow at the Cato Institute. “Even if the In 1993, president Bill Clinton fired Reckless were “born, not out of mere choice, but out of necessity, in next FBI director avoids any hint of director William Sessions, who served Comey was well-liked by the FBI rank the face of racism”. improperly seeking to influence the nearly six years, citing a report about and file after president Barack Obama In her keynote at the Daytona Beach university, DeVos investigation, the damage has been managerial abuse but also clearly seeking named him director in Sept 2013. The repeatedly praised the school’s founder, Mary McLeod done; the sight of Comey’s head on a his own top cop. But Sessions’ replace- former lawyer and prosecutor paid Bethune, as someone who “refused to accept systemic and pike is influence enough.” repulsive racism,” and had “the courage to change old ideas”. ment Louis Freeh turned the tables. The attention to staff needs, said 25-year “I am here to demonstrate in the most direct way possible former FBI agent became a constant agency veteran Ed Shaw. But when ‘Closets full of skeletons’ that I and the administration are fully committed to your suc- antagonist as the Clinton White House Comey went public on July 5, 2016, to J Edgar Hoover, who led the coun- cess and to the success of every student across this great plunged into a series of scandals, most announce he would not recommend country,” she said. As the crowd kept trying to shout her try’s top police agency for 48 years from notably the Monica Lewinsky affair that criminal charges against Clinton for mis- down, university president Edison Jackson briefly took over 1924, had a legendary upper hand over nearly saw Clinton removed from office. handling classified emails, Shaw says he the microphone to sternly lecture the class of 2017. — AP the White House thanks to secret files But it also made Freeh look partisan, and many of his colleagues were deeply on politicians he amassed over decades. on the side of a Republican assault on disappointed. — AFP.