CNN
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Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett criticized Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling her a “racist,” after a tense House oversight call Thursday night that quickly turned into personal attacks.
As the panel met to move forward with contempt proceedings against Attorney General Merrick Garland for his refusal to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, Greene, a Georgia Republican, sparked outrage when commenting on Crockett’s appearance. “I think your false eyelashes are getting in the way of what you’re reading,” Greene said.
Speaking to reporters on Friday about the incident, Crockett said: “That’s all it is, it’s racism. And she decided that she would be that person loudly and openly yesterday. The difference is that I just wouldn’t accept it.
“She is racist. I mean, I have no doubts about it,” she added.
Asked for comments by CNN, Greene’s office said, “the only member who mentioned any reference to color was Congresswoman Crockett.”
House rules state that members cannot “engage in personas,” meaning they are not allowed to make offensive comments about or toward another member.
If this occurs, the member who was insulted may request that the words be removed from the record, and if this happens, the offending member may not speak during the remainder of the proceedings.
During the marking, there was a failed vote to remove Greene’s comments from the record and she was allowed to continue her comments.
At the markup, Greene began by asking Democrats on the committee if any of them employed the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the New York criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. As Republicans sought to curry favor with Trump, they went after Merchan’s daughter, who has ties to Democrats, as they sought to undermine the case.
Crockett, a Texas Democrat, asked Greene, “Do you know why we’re here?”
Greene responded, “I don’t think you know why you’re here… I think your false eyelashes are getting in the way of what you’re reading.”
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez immediately intervened to have Greene’s words noted.
“This is absolutely unacceptable. How dare you attack another person’s physical appearance,” the New York Democrat said.
After a series of votes in response to Greene’s explosive rhetoric, Crockett issued a criticism that appeared to be aimed at the Republican.
“I’m just curious. Just to better understand your decision. If someone on this committee starts talking about someone’s blond, poorly built body, that wouldn’t be engaging in personalities, right,” Crockett said.
Crockett said Friday that Greene is not serious and does not respect the process.
“She doesn’t have the ability to actually engage in real discourse, she doesn’t know her job. She doesn’t know the issues we’re dealing with when we’re on the committee. So instead she does what most MAGA people do, which is she seeks to insult and attack personally. She needs a team that can get her up to speed so she can actually talk about something important and really represent her district,” Crockett said.
Crockett also said that she is a “grown woman” and would not take this “lying down.”
“One thing I won’t do is have someone disrespect me as a duly elected official, and then I’ll just say, well, it’s okay. And rub. No, we’re not going to do that.”
She added: “So if they can’t follow the rules, I’ll have to fight for myself.”
Republican and Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee expressed shock and disgust at the “unacceptable” conduct during the committee meeting.
“It’s not appropriate. None of this is appropriate,” said Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, who was seated next to Greene during the hearing. “I mean, ‘male body’ and ‘bleached blonde’ hair, now that – there’s no place for that here. And it’s just disgusting. And I have a little girl, I don’t want to hear her insulting someone’s appearance like that. And yes, it was unfortunate,” he added.
The committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Jamie Raskin, said the behavior of House Republicans “brought disgrace to the entire institution,” criticizing Greene’s conduct at the hearing.
“When the president allowed the distinguished lady from Georgia to attack other members’ eyelashes or their personal appearance, the entire meeting came to that,” he said.
