Pandemonium broke out during a House Oversight Committee hearing late Thursday night after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) suggested Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) was wearing “fake eyelashes” that obstructed her ability to read.
The purpose of the hearing was to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress after failing to provide subpoenaed audio tapes of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden.
Nearly an hour of chaos occurred following Greene’s comment during a markup session held to determine if the vote to hold Garland in contempt should be recommended to the full House of Representatives.
The Oversight Committee hearing was delayed from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday so some Republicans on the panel could attend former President Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial in Manhattan, which is presided over by Judge Juan Merchan.
Greene’s argument with Crockett began after the Georgia congresswoman asked if any Democrats on the committee were employing Merchan’s daughter, Loren, a progressive political consultant who has allegedly profited from Trump’s trial.
After a brief silence, Crockett replied, “Please tell me what that has to do with Merrick Garland.”
“Oh, Goldman, that’s right,” Green said, referencing Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), whom Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wy.) accused of paying Loren Merchan’s firm over $150,000 on May 15.
“Do you know what we’re here for?” Crockett asked.
“I don’t think you know what you’re here for,” Greene shot back. “I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.”
Amid calls for order, top committee Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.) said, “That’s beneath even you, Ms. Greene.”
At that point, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) raised a point of order to “take down Greene’s words,” she said.
“That is absolutely unacceptable,” she said. “How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?”
“Are your feelings hurt?” Greene asked.
“Oh girl, baby girl, don’t even play,” Ocasio-Cortez replied, prompting Greene to retort, “Oh really? ‘Baby girl?’”
When Ocasio-Cortez insisted the Georgia congresswoman apologize, Greene refused.
“Why don’t you debate me?” Greene asked.
“I think it’s pretty self-evident,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Yeah, you don’t have enough intelligence,” Greene shot back. 🚨🇺🇸 AOC AND MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE FIGHT IN CONGRESS
AOC: “She has to apologize”
MTG: “I’m not apologizing. Why don’t you debate me?”
AOC: “That’s self-evident”
MTG: “Yeah, you don’t have enough intelligence.”
MTG: "Are your feelings hurt? Aww."
AOC: "Oh, girl. Baby girl,… pic.twitter.com/UA9aaagqpQ
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 17, 2024
The New York representative then sought to have Greene’s comment about her intelligence struck as well.
“Oh, they cannot take the words,” Greene lamented.
The Georgia congresswoman agreed to strike her words, but added, “I am not apologizing. You will never get an apology out of me. I don’t owe you one.”
“More disorder ensued minutes later when Crockett asked if a hypothetical comment — which appeared to be a veiled jab at Greene — would break Congressional protocol,” The Hill reports.
“I’m just curious, just to better understand your ruling,” Crockett said regarding a ruling from Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) about Greene’s comments. “If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blonde bad built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”
“A what, now?” Comer said.
Rep. Anna Paulina Lune (R-Fla.) jumped into the fray at that point with a request to strike Crockett’s words.
“I’m trying to find clarification on what qualifies—” Crockett said, before being cut off by Comer, who said, “I didn’t — I have no idea what you just said.”
Loud crosstalk ensued as Luna repeatedly told Crockett to “calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” the Texas congresswoman shouted. “Because y’all talk noise … If I come and talk s--- about her y’all gonna have a problem.”
Comer’s plea to allow Greene to speak reignited Ocasio-Cortez’s insistence on striking the Georgia congresswoman’s remarks about the New York representative’s intelligence. Anyway. We’re $35 trillion in debt. Heading into World War 3. Being invaded at the southern border.
Let’s check in on congress: pic.twitter.com/V3h7u1Jij8
— Oilfield Rando (@Oilfield_Rando) May 17, 2024
Amid more tumult, Comer broke in to explain he has two hearing aids and is “very deaf.”
“I’m not understanding. Everybody’s yelling. I’m doing the best I can,” he said.
“The raucous stretch of the hearing, which began roughly 30 minutes into the proceedings, finally came to an end after the panel voted to allow Greene to continue speaking,” per The Hill. “The madness culminated ... with a vote on whether or not to allow Greene to continue speaking during the hearing, which the panel ultimately granted in a 22-20 vote. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) — who has butted heads with Greene in the past — crossed party lines to vote against allowing the Georgia lawmaker to proceed during the hearing. Boebert was sitting two seats away from Greene during the vote."
