by Sharon Rondeau
(Apr. 17, 2023) — Chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH4), the U.S. House Judiciary Committee held a “field hearing” in Manhattan about rising crime in the city over the last several years, with several victims testifying in person.
Just before 12:00 noon, Madeline Brame, whose son, a retired military service member, was brutally murdered in 2018 without provocation and the four perpetrators’ original charges downgraded by District Attorney Alvin Bragg, was answering questions to Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY10) when she claimed he was insulting her intelligence and erupted with, “That’s why I left the Democratic plantation!”
Jordan interjected by informing Goldman he had 15 seconds remaining to his time, after which Jordan called upon Rep. Elise Stefanik to speak.
Goldman was the lead attorney for the Democrats during the first impeachment of President Donald J. Trump.
Brame introduced herself as the chairwoman of the Victims Rights Reform Council; her Twitter profile also states she is state director of the New York BLEXIT chapter.
According to its website, the VRRC was founded to honor Brame’s son, Sgt. Hason Correa, who “was brutally stabbed and murdered by four assailants.” “These offenders stabbed Hason over and over again and left him for dead, and also brutally stabbed Hason’s elderly Father,” the story continues. “Sgt. Correa’s Father survived the brutal, unprovoked attack, however, Sgt. Correa did not. Sgt. Correa, an Afghanistan war hero, a Father of three beautiful children, and his adoring wife, Christie will never be the same.”
The BLEXIT Foundation was launched by conservative commentator Candace Owens and has merged with Turning Point USA, founded by Charlie Kirk.
Stefanik criticized Democrats for invoking the name “Donald Trump” during the hearing more than 30 times, while she said Republicans did not mention it once and instead are focused on solving New York’s burgeoning crime problem.
Another victim present was Jose Alba, who last summer killed an attacker in self-defense in a New York City bodega, was prosecuted by Bragg and jailed at Rikers Island, reportedly without medical treatment for his injuries, until public outcry demanded he be freed and the charges dropped.
Alba has reportedly left the United States to reside elsewhere.
On her Twitter account, Brame has previously urged others to “leave the plantation.”
The media and some Democrats have accused committee Republicans of holding the hearing to “defend” Trump, who approximately two weeks ago Bragg stated he would prosecute for alleged campaign-funds misuse following a 34-count grand jury indictment. In turn, congressional Democrats defended Bragg.
At 12:44, addressing Brame during his time to speak, Rep. Wesley Hunt, who is black, said “leaving the plantation” is “happening all over the country.”
Updated, 7:16 a.m., April 18, 2023.