GOP Senator Loses His Cool When Confronted About Tax Cuts For The Rich

Senate Finance Committee chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) tore into Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Thursday for suggesting the Republican tax bill would only help the rich. 

“Spare us the sarcasm and the satire,” Brown told supporters of the bill during a meeting, saying the proposed tax cut would benefit wealthy Americans.

“That whole thing about higher wages, well, it’s a good selling point, but they just don’t give out higher wages,” he said.

Everyone would initially see lower taxes under the Senate plan, but people earning less than $75,000 on average would face a tax increase by 2027, according to a Joint Committee on Taxation study  released Thursday. People earning more than $100,000 would keep paying less in taxes.

Hatch appeared to take the comments personally. 

“I come from the poor people and I’ve been here working my whole stinkin’ career for people who don’t have a chance, and I really resent anybody saying I’m just doing this for the rich,” he said. “Give me a break.”

Brown attempted to respond, leading to a shouting match between the two senators. It ended with Hatch pounding his gavel repeatedly. 

“Listen,” he said once the room was quiet. “I come from the lower-middle class. We didn’t have anything. Don’t spew that stuff on me. I get real tired of that crap.”

The committee ended up voting 14-12 to send the proposal to the full Senate.

House Republicans passed their tax proposal  on Thursday, but its chances of survival in the Senate are in question. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has already stated his opposition. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) may also vote “no” if the bill ends up including a repeal of the Obamacare individual mandate , which Hatch added to the bill earlier this week.