AOC and Marjorie Taylor Greene argue during heated Garland hearing.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Marjorie Taylor Greene engaged in a heated exchange during a congressional hearing that was intended to address a contempt hearing for Attorney General Merrick Garland. The House Oversight Committee had initially convened to hold Garland in contempt for not complying with a subpoena to provide an audio recording of President Biden’s interview with a special counsel.
Things quickly escalated during the hearing as lawmakers began bickering with one another. Less than an hour into the session, Greene took jabs at Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, leading to a tense exchange between the representatives.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer appealed for order amidst the chaos in the chamber as tensions continued to rise. Ocasio-Cortez intervened, condemning Greene’s personal attack on Crockett and demanding her words be retracted.
As the situation unfolded, Ocasio-Cortez insisted that Greene’s words be struck down, a parliamentary procedure that allows a speaker to retract or amend their remarks if they are considered inappropriate. The hearing was briefly suspended as lawmakers deliberated on Greene’s comments.
Despite eventually agreeing to withdraw her words, Greene adamantly refused to issue an apology and even went on to insult Ocasio-Cortez’s intelligence. This led to a further escalation, as Ocasio-Cortez motioned to have Greene’s derogatory remarks towards her also stricken from the record.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., urged Greene to issue an apology during the hearing, but she remained defiant, stating that an apology would not be forthcoming. The tension continued to mount as the disagreement between the lawmakers remained unresolved.
Following the incident, Crockett expressed her dismay over Greene’s focus on her appearance during a congressional committee meeting. She criticized Greene’s behavior, referring to it as a reflection of incompetence and disregard for parliamentary rules among certain members of Congress.
The encounter between Ocasio-Cortez and Greene during the hearing underscored the deep political divisions and personal animosities that have come to define the current climate in Washington. The lack of civility and respect between lawmakers was on full display, highlighting the challenges of fostering meaningful dialogue and cooperation across party lines.
It remains to be seen how this incident will impact future interactions between members of Congress and whether efforts will be made to address the underlying issues of incivility and hostility that threaten to undermine the functioning of the legislative process.
