A bizarre confrontation is captured on camera outside a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing today dealing with foreign interference on social media. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was talking to reporters when conspiracy theorist Alex Jones repeatedly tried to interrupt and heckle him. Rubio repeatedly said he didn’t know who Jones was and called him a “dumbass.” This seemed to infuriate the InfoWars host who then gave the Senator a condescending pat on the back. That’s when things got heated. Here’s part of the testy exchange:
MR: “Don’t touch me. I’m asking you not to touch me”
AJ: “I’m just patting you nicely.”
MR: “I know, but I don’t want to be touched… I don’t know who you are.”
AJ: “Oh you want me to get arrested?”
MR: “You aren’t going to get arrested man, I’ll just take care of you myself.”
AJ: “Oh he’ll beat me up.”
MR: “I didn’t say that.”
Jones called Rubio “gay” after the senator departed, and the Infowars host continued his live-stream commentary privately to the camera.
Good for @marcorubio. Well done sir. @RealAlexJones is an obnoxious, mentally unstable, crying punk.
Rubio would have scored some big points if he had punched Jones right in the face. https://t.co/FbQeI4WjAi
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) September 5, 2018
Jones was apparently at the hearing to make his presence known after being banned from several social platforms. Politico adds:
As Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey began their testimony before the committee, Jones livestreamed his entrance into the building and later took a seat in the first row of the hearing room, sitting mere feet away from the tech executives.
Internet companies including Facebook and Twitter removed or suspended Jones’ content last month for violating their terms of service. The action came as many conservatives, including President Donald Trump, accuse Silicon Valley of being biased against their views.
Watch the full confrontation between Rubio and Jones above.
