A video of an American legislator yelling in outrage emerged in social media posts that claim it shows the lawmaker was angry about the recent passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act by the U.S. House of Representatives.
But the claim is false. The video, taken from 2012 footage, shows the-Illinois House of Representatives member and current Illinois Republican congressman Mike Bost criticizing a reform plan for social security.
The video was shared on X by Chinese diplomat Zhang Heqing on June 8, 2024.
“It looks like he is angry,” Zhang said in the post.
The 44-second video shows a man dressed in a suit shouting in outrage at what appears to be a meeting of the U.S. House.
“The U.S. putting out this act about the Jews is a shameful disgrace,” a superimposed caption in Chinese reads.
The House passed a bipartisan bill, Antisemitism Awareness Act, on May 1 to combat antisemitism as pro-Palestinian protests roil colleges across the U.S.
The bill would mandate that the Education Department adopt the broad definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, an intergovernmental group, to enforce anti-discrimination laws.
The group defines antisemitism as a “certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”
It adds that “rhetorical and physical manifestations” of antisemitism include such things as calling for the killing or harming of Jews or holding Jews collectively responsible for actions taken by Israel.
The video had previously been shared by other Chinese influencers on social media platforms such as Douyin, Weibo and X.
Some online users commented that even “U.S. lawmakers have grown fed up with U.S. support of Israel and the Jewish community” citing the video.
But the claim is false.
Old video
A reverse image search found the video published in a report by the American broadcaster CBS on May 30, 2012.
“IL Rep. Mike Bost Is Furious Over Pension Reforms by Steve Lehocky on YouTube,” the caption of the video reads.
The report details the Democrat-led plan to overhaul the state pension system.
“A downstate lawmaker screamed, yelled and threw papers Tuesday, as he expressed frustration about the Democrat-led plan to overhaul the state pension system,” the report reads in part.
“One of those lawmakers is Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro), who launched into a tirade Tuesday as he complained about the amount of power Madigan wields.”
Bost on the Antisemitism Awareness Act
Bost did not speak at all during the near hour long House deliberation on the Antisemitism Awareness Act broadcast by CSPAN on May 1.
The act eventually passed the House by a vote of 320 in favor, 91 against and 18 abstentions, with Bost officially recorded as voting for the act.
While legislators from both parties openly opposed the bill, none of them expressed their disagreement in emotional language or exaggerated movements during the proceedings.
The act awaits approval by the Senate before it can be sent to the president to be signed into law.
Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Taejun Kang.
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