Watch police react to a swamp monster photobombing this lobbyist and Trump nominee's hearing

Watch police react to a swamp monster photobombing this lobbyist and Trump nominee’s hearing



written by Cody Fenwick March 28, 2019

When President Donald Trump’s nominee to become the U.S. Interior secretary, David Bernhardt, testified before Congress Thursday in his confirmation hearings, he had an unusual guest appearing over his shoulder.

A person dress as a swamp monster, whose face was entirely covered in a green mask, sat quietly and calmly in the audience, perfectly in the camera’s frame.

At one point during the testimony, capitol police in the room appeared to notice the swamp monster and begin discussing what should be done about it, as Public Citizen pointed out. While hearings are open to the public, protesters can be removed for being disruptive. It’s not clear, though, that sitting quietly in a mocking costume counts as disruptive.

Like many of Trump’s cabinet nominees and appointees, Bernhardt, currently serving as the acting Interior secretary, is hopelessly conflicted in the role. He previously served as a lobbyist for the oil industry, which is certainly not incidental to his nomination — it’s the reason for it. Despite Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” of corruption once he was elected, he has continued to the GOP’s long history of placating and promoting powerful corporate interests in Washington, D.C., often at the expense of the interests of the American people. The swamp monster in attendance at the confirmation hearing was, undoubtedly, serving to remind us of this fact.

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