"We're talking about a minuscule number of people here as compared to the number of people who are being protected," Rohrabacher said. "We are at war, and we've got to make sure that we do not let go 50 terrorists who will go out and plant a bomb in London and kill 20,000 people in order to protect that one person who we arrested accidentally because his name was the same. That's the type of unfortunate consequence."
When audience members rumbled in disagreement with Rohrabacher's remarks, he fired back, "I hope it's your families that suffer the consequences."
Barbaro said Rohrabacher should retract that statement and apologize to the people at the hearing.
"I was appalled. I couldn't believe that a United States congressperson would have that kind of a reaction to people making a simple suggestion or disagreeing with him," Barbaro said.
"This is typical Bushisms, where you've either got to buy in 100%, or anybody who has any thoughts that are discordant is obviously unpatriotic or not worthy of having their comments considered."
Rohrabacher said he's heard criticisms of his comments, but he stands by what he said. The extraordinary rendition program has been successful in catching about 200 people involved in terrorist activities, and it's part of the reason there hasn't been a major attack on the U.S. since Sept. 11, 2001, he said.
"Those people who are trying to emasculate the effort to grab these terrorists have to understand that there are consequences if they do that," Rohrabacher said Wednesday. "I still believe their families should be the ones that suffer the consequences first."
