Congressman John Shadegg Uses Chief-Of-Staff’s Daughter As Prop

Arizona GOP Congressman John Shadegg held seven-months-old Maddie Thompson, the daughter of Chief of Staff Kristen Thompson, to attack Democrats and argue against health care reform. Shadegg bellowed, “Maddie believes in freedom.” (Note: some stories are claiming Maddie is Shadegg’s granddaughter, but is actually the daughter of his chief-of-staff.)

“Maddy believes in freedom,” Mr. Shadegg said, as his granddaughter chief-of-staff’s daughter reached toward the microphone. “Maddy likes America because we have freedom.”

He added, “She came here to say she doesn’t want the government to take over health care … She doesn’t want a health care bill that will cost $1.5 trillion.” And he said that if the bill passes, Maddy knows her mother will lose her health insurance.

Best line: When Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) regained the microphone, he said, “That was a remarkable child and a great ventriloquist.”

During the tea party protest, Shadegg tossed around the word “freedom,” trying to make the case that health care reform takes it away.

John Shadegg of Arizona rallied the few hundred Tea Partiers. “The people who want this bill have contempt for freedom,” Shadegg yelled just before heaving a copy of the 1,990-page bill onto the grass before tv cameras and the crowd. “They want to enslave you and take away your freedom and I won’t let them and you won’t let them.”

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.