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Congresswoman Accuses Kelly of Lying, Escalating Dispute Over Trump’s Condolence Call Congresswoman Accuses Kelly of Lying, Escalating Dispute Over Trump’s Condolence Call
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Representative Frederica S. Wilson said on Friday that President Trump’s chief of staff lied about her role in a 2015 dedication ceremony for a federal building, escalating the back-and-forth jabs between her and the White House that started over a condolence call the president made to the wife of a fallen soldier. WASHINGTON — Representative Frederica S. Wilson said on Friday that President Trump’s chief of staff had lied about her role in a 2015 dedication ceremony for a federal building, escalating the back-and-forth jabs between her and the White House that started over a condolence call the president made to the wife of a fallen soldier.
“He can’t just go on T.V. and lie on me,” Ms. Wilson said on CNN on Friday, referring to John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff. “I was not even in Congress in 2009 when the money for the building was secured.” “He can’t just go on TV and lie on me,” Ms. Wilson said on CNN, referring to John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff. “I was not even in Congress in 2009 when the money for the building was secured.”
“How dare he,” Ms. Wilson, a Florida Democrat, said.“How dare he,” Ms. Wilson, a Florida Democrat, said.
Ms. Wilson’s response was the latest in a series of political attacks between the representative and the White House after Mr. Trump called Myeshia Johnson, the widow of a soldier who died in an Oct. 4 ambush in Niger. On Thursday, Mr. Kelly said he had been “stunned” to hear Ms. Wilson use the ceremony to claim credit for securing the funding for the new building. But a video of her speech at the ceremony showed that Mr. Kelly’s recollection was wrong. She did not take credit for securing the money; she did spent about two minutes of her approximately nine-minute speech speaking about the legislative effort she had led to name the building after two F.B.I. agents who died in a shootout in 1986.
Mr. Kelly made unusual public remarks on Thursday, defending Mr. Trump’s call earlier this week to Ms. Johnson, the wife of Sgt. La David T. Johnson, who was one of four soldiers killed in the attack. Ms. Wilson overheard the call, which was on a speakerphone, and said that Mr. Trump’s tone was not respectful and that he said the fallen soldier “knew what he signed up for.” Ms. Wilson’s response on Friday morning was the latest in a series of political attacks between the congresswoman and the White House after Mr. Trump called Myeshia Johnson, the widow of a soldier who died in an Oct. 4 ambush in Niger.
Mr. Kelly made unusual public remarks on Thursday, defending Mr. Trump’s call earlier this week to Ms. Johnson, the wife of Sgt. La David T. Johnson, who was one of four soldiers killed in the attack. Ms. Wilson overheard the call, which was on a speakerphone, and said that Mr. Trump’s tone was not respectful and that he had said the fallen soldier “knew what he signed up for.”
Mr. Trump defended himself on Wednesday morning in a Twitter post, saying that Ms. Wilson “totally fabricated” the account. The next day, Mr. Kelly defended the president and offered personal details about how he learned his own son had died in Afghanistan in 2010.Mr. Trump defended himself on Wednesday morning in a Twitter post, saying that Ms. Wilson “totally fabricated” the account. The next day, Mr. Kelly defended the president and offered personal details about how he learned his own son had died in Afghanistan in 2010.
Mr. Kelly also had harsh words for Ms. Wilson and accused her of turning Sergeant Johnson’s death into a political stunt.Mr. Kelly also had harsh words for Ms. Wilson and accused her of turning Sergeant Johnson’s death into a political stunt.
Mr. Kelly said he and the congresswoman were both at a 2015 ceremony for a new F.B.I. building in Miami that was named after fallen agents. Mr. Kelly said Ms. Wilson took credit for getting the funding for the building. Ms. Wilson’s congressional district includes parts of Miami. Mr. Kelly said he and the congresswoman were both at the 2015 ceremony for a new F.B.I. building in Miami that was named after the fallen agents. Mr. Kelly said Ms. Wilson had taken credit for getting the funding for the building. Ms. Wilson’s congressional district includes parts of Miami.
“And we were stunned — stunned that she’d done it,” Mr. Kelly said. “Even for someone that is that empty a barrel, we were stunned.”“And we were stunned — stunned that she’d done it,” Mr. Kelly said. “Even for someone that is that empty a barrel, we were stunned.”
Ms. Wilson said she had pushed for naming the building after two fallen F.B.I. agents but never took credit for obtaining the funding to build it. The money was secured before she was elected to Congress in 2010, she said. Ms. Wilson said she had pushed for naming the building after the two fallen F.B.I. agents but never took credit for obtaining the funding to build it. The money was secured before she was elected to Congress in 2010, she said.
“He didn’t tell the truth and he needs to stop telling lies on me,” Ms. Wilson said of Mr. Kelly on Friday. “He didn’t tell the truth, and he needs to stop telling lies on me,” Ms. Wilson said of Mr. Kelly on Friday.
The White House stands by Mr. Kelly’s account, a spokesman said on Friday. During the April 2015 dedication ceremony for the building that houses the F.B.I.’s South Florida operations, Ms. Wilson spoke about how quickly she was able to get a bill through the typically slow and bureaucratic Congress to name it after Benjamin P. Grogan and Jerry L. Dove., the agents who were killed in a 1986 shootout.
In another Twitter post on Thursday, Mr. Trump said that Ms. Wilson was “SECRETLY on a very personal call,” and “gave a total lie” about what the president said. “It is a miracle to say the least,” Ms. Wilson said of the swift legislative action. But, she said, the quick passage shows how much respect Congress has for the F.B.I.
“Most men and women in law enforcement leave their homes for work knowing that there is a possibility they may not return,” Ms. Wilson said.
A White House spokesman on Friday said it stood by Mr. Kelly’s account of her remarks.
In another Twitter post on Thursday, Mr. Trump said that Ms. Wilson was “SECRETLY on a very personal call,” and “gave a total lie” about what the president had said.
Ms. Wilson, a friend of the Johnson family, was in a limousine with the family waiting at Miami International Airport to meet Sergeant Johnson’s coffin when Mr. Trump called. Ms. Wilson heard the call because it was on a speakerphone.Ms. Wilson, a friend of the Johnson family, was in a limousine with the family waiting at Miami International Airport to meet Sergeant Johnson’s coffin when Mr. Trump called. Ms. Wilson heard the call because it was on a speakerphone.