Dianne Feinstein Battles Ted Cruz in Heated Senate Showdown Over Guns: 'I'm Not a 6th Grader

UPDATE:

Someone was caught on a hot mic criticizing Cruz during his closing remarks on the constitution. Watch those clips and see who it might have been here.

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California Sen. Dianne Feinstein. (Getty Images).

Senators Ted Cruz and Dianne Feinstein during a Senate Judiciary Hearing on Thursday got into heated exchange while discussing the California congresswoman’s proposed ban on so-called “assault” weapons.

"The question that I would pose to the senior senator from California is," Cruz said, referring to Feinstein, "Would she deem it consistent with the Bill of Rights for Congress to engage in the same endeavor that we are contemplating doing with the Second Amendment in the context of the First or Fourth Amendment, namely, would she consider it constitutional for Congress to specify that the First Amendment shall apply only to the following books and shall not apply to the books that Congress has deemed outside the protection of the Bill of Rights?”

“Likewise, would she think that the Fourth Amendment's protection against searches and seizures could properly apply only to the following specified individuals and not to the individuals that Congress has deemed outside the protection of the Bill of Rights?” he added.

Apparently, Sen. Feinstein was not amused with the Texas senator’s line of questioning.

"I'm not a sixth grader," said responded. "Senator, I've been on this committee for 20 years. I was a mayor for nine years. I walked in, I saw people shot. I've looked at bodies that have been shot with these weapons. I've seen the bullets that implode. In Sandy Hook, youngsters were dismembered. Look, there are other weapons.”

“I've been up -- I'm not a lawyer, but after 20 years I've been up close and personal to the Constitution. I have great respect for it. This doesn't mean that weapons of war and the Heller decision clearly points out three exceptions, two of which are pertinent here.”

“And so I -- you know, it's fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it. Just know I've been here for a long time. I've passed on a number of bills. I've studied the Constitution myself. I am reasonably well educated, and I thank you for the lecture,” she added.

The California senator eventually got around to answering Sen. Cruz' question on how she reconciles her proposed “assault weapons" ban with the Second Amendment.

Her eventual answer? “Assault weapons" are kind of like child pornography. She argued that although we have a First Amendment right to free speech, that doesn't mean child pornography is protected by the Constitution. Likewise, she continued, so-called "assault weapons" can be legally banned.

Sen. Feinstein later apologized to Sen. Cruz, explaining that he “got her dander up.”

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(H/T: The Weekly Standard). Featured images Getty Images.