Remember that little kerfuffle, on the day of the swearing-in of the new Congress, when the husband of a Republican Senator supposedly refused to shake hands with Kamala Harris?
On that day, Bruce Fischer, the husband of Sen. Debra Fischer (R-NE), was next to his wife when she was sworn in for a new term in the U.S. Senate. After the swearing-in, Harris shook hands with Sen. Fischer and offered her hand to her husband, who did say “thank you” but did not return the handshake.
The husband of a Republican senator just refused to shake hands or make eye contact with Vice President Harris.
The level of class you can expect from MAGA. pic.twitter.com/hTarflIqlw
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) January 6, 2025
According to a New York Times story the following day, Fischer’s office did not reply to requests for comment. Some defenders of Bruce Fischer stated that he was walking with a cane — as he was not doing when he shook the hands of the vice presidents at the two previous ceremonies ) — and therefore would have had difficulty offering his hand.
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Former Vice President Harris and Sen. Fischer were both U.S. senators at the same time for a few years, so they likely have some prior relationship.
That incident was revisited this week, when Harris’ husband, the former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, brought it up.
According to CNN, while attending a ceremonial tea at the White House before the inauguration on Monday, Emhoff returned the favor, and refused to shake the hand of Bruce Fischer.
NEW from me: before the inauguration, Sen. Deb Fischer’s husband— who went viral for his interaction w/Harris a few weeks ago—went to shake Doug Emhoff’s hand
Emhoff refused: “Why would you try to shake my hand when you wouldn’t shake my wife’s hand?”https://t.co/xbRKz6Ywt0
— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) January 21, 2025
“Why would you try to shake my hand,” Emhoff reportedly told Fischer, “when you wouldn’t shake my wife’s hand?” Neither the former vice president nor the Nebraska senator were
“A person familiar with the interaction” told CNN it happened, although no video appears to have exist of the moment. The CNN story added that Bruce Fischer “did later make his way back over to apologize.”
After leaving office, Harris and Emhoff this week returned to California, where Harris is rumored to have interest in a run for governor. Emhoff will return to his career as a lawyer. And while the couple is expected to primarily live in their home in Brentwood, they also reportedly are considering looking for a residence in New York.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
