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‘Oversight After Dark’: Lawmakers Hurl Insults at Session
In an after-hours session on Capitol Hill, insults by the right-wing Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene led to a raucous exchange with Democrats, featuring insults about personal appearance, intellect and more.
transcript
Insults Disrupt House Oversight Committee Session
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican, insulted the appearance of Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat, in a session of the House Oversight Committee leading the meeting to break out into shouting.
“Do you know what we’re here for? You know we’re here about AG.” “I don’t think you know what you’re here for.” “Well, you’re the one talking about —” “I think your fake eyelashes are messing up —” “Ain’t nothing —” “Hold on, hold on.” [gavel pounding] “Order.” “Mr. Chairman.” “That’s beneath even you —” “Order, order. Regain order of your committee.” “I would like to move to take down Ms. Greene’s words. That is absolutely unacceptable. How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person.” “Are your feelings hurt?” “Move her words, down.” “Aww.” “Oh, oh girl, baby girl.” “Oh, really?” “Don’t even play.” “Baby girl. I don’t think —” “We are going to move and we’re going to take your words down.” “I second that motion.” “You agree to strike your words?” “Yeah.” “O.K. — Ms. Greene agrees to strike her words.” “I believe she should apologize. No, no, no.” “Hold on. Then, after Mr. Perry’s going to be recognized, then —” “I’m not apologizing.” “Well, then you’re not striking your words.” “You reserve the right to object.” “I am not apologizing.” “Just to better understand your ruling: If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleached blonde, bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?” “A what now?” “Chariman, I make, I make a motion to strike those words.” “I don’t think that’s —” “I’m trying to find clarification on what —” “Chairman, motion to strike those words.” We’re not, we’re not going to do this. Look, you guys earlier, literally just —” “You just voted to do this.” “Y’all did it first.” “You just voted to do it.” “Order, order.” “I’m trying to get clarification.” “Look — calm down. Calm down.” “No, no, no, no because this is what you all do. So I’m trying to get —” “Ms. Crockett, you’re not recognized.”
Reporting from Washington
Even by the rock-bottom standards of the 118th Congress, Thursday night’s three-hour voting session of the House Oversight Committee was perhaps a new low. There was shouting and chaos. There were insults about eyelashes, hair dye and body composition. It was behavior that would get most elementary school kids suspended.
The members of the Republican-led committee gathered after 8 p.m. in a Capitol Hill hearing room ready for a fight — some members of the audience were even said to have brought alcoholic beverages to enjoy the show. They had gathered so late because so many Republicans traveled to Manhattan to show support for former President Donald J. Trump at the courthouse where he is on trial on criminal charges involving hush money payments to a porn star.
Back in Washington, lawmakers were ostensibly meeting for the most serious and somber of reasons: to debate whether to hold a cabinet official in contempt of Congress. Republicans were recommending charging Attorney General Merrick B. Garland — an action that the committee chairman, Representative James Comer of Kentucky, proudly touted in a fund-raising appeal earlier in the day — and they would eventually get to that.
But first, it was time for fight club.
Who better to instigate the chaos than Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, the right-wing Georgia Republican best known for her penchant for incendiary statements and stunts? Her first target was Representative Jasmine Crockett, the Democrat from Texas who frequently takes on Ms. Greene in the committee.
After an initial back and forth, Ms. Greene went after Ms. Crockett’s appearance, causing all hell to break lose.
“I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading,” Ms. Greene said, mocking her makeup.
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