The confrontation, which left Congress in stunned silence, took an unexpected turn when a hot mic captured a private comment from Abrams moments later, flipping the narrative and sparking a nationwide uproar that reverberated far beyond the Capitol.

The clash began as Kennedy grilled Abrams, a prominent voting rights advocate and founder of Fair Fight Action, over her critique of a proposed federal voting law. Abrams had argued that certain provisions echoed Georgia’s 2021 election law, which she called racially discriminatory due to its impact on minority voters. Kennedy, known for his sharp rhetoric, interrupted her testimony, accusing her

of “playing the race card” to inflame divisions. “Your remarks are reckless and divisive,” he thundered, citing her past statements about voter suppression as evidence of “baseless racial accusations.” The chamber fell silent as Kennedy demanded Abrams retract her claims, asserting they undermined bipartisan efforts. Read more below