Drinking was allegedly taking place in a committee room where a hearing devolved into insults of \u201cfake eyelashes\u201d and \u201cbleach blonde bad-built butch body\u201d being hurled across the chamber by Republican and Democrat lawmakers on Thursday. Both Republicans and Democrats told Politico that some members had been drinking that evening, but no names were made public.<\/p>\n
The hearing, intended to decide if US Attorney General Merrick Garland could be held in contempt of Congress, took a contentious turn when Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene launched the first salvo. She targeted Democrat Jasmine Crockett\u2019s \u201cfake eyelashes,\u201d which quickly shifted the focus away from the agenda. \u201cI\u2019d like to know if any Democrats on the committee are employing Judge [Juan] Merchan\u2019s daughter?\u201d Greene said, referring to the judge overseeing Donald Trump\u2019s hush money trial. Republicans, including Trump, have accused Judge Merchan of being too partisan, emphasizing that his daughter has worked for Democrats.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that have to do with Merrick Garland?\u201d asked freshman Oversight Committee member Jasmine Crockett.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you\u2019re reading,\u201d Greene retorted.<\/p>\n
The hearing then descended into chaos, with Chairman James Comer struggling to maintain order for nearly an hour. Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rebuked Greene\u2019s \u201cdisgusting\u201d and \u201cunacceptable\u201d remarks about Crockett. \u201cHow dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?\u201d Ocasio-Cortez demanded. Greene taunted her, questioning whether her feelings were hurt. Ocasio-Cortez fired back, saying, \u201cOh girl, oh baby girl, don\u2019t even play,\u201d which Greene mockingly echoed with, \u201cOh really, baby girl?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the committee, also criticized Greene, stating, \u201cThat\u2019s beneath even you, Ms. Greene.\u201d Despite this, Greene agreed to strike her words from the record but refused to apologize to Crockett, causing further outrage among Democrats.<\/p>\n
When asked, Ocasio-Cortez refused to engage in further debate with Greene, prompting Greene\u2019s final insult: \u201cYeah, you don\u2019t have enough intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chairman Comer ruled that Greene\u2019s insult did not violate House rules, leaving Crockett bewildered. \u201cIf someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody\u2019s bleach blonde, bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?\u201d she queried Comer, who responded in confusion, \u201cUh, what now?\u201d<\/p>\n
This prompted Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna to request that Crockett\u2019s words be stricken from the record, which led to a vocal response from Democrats. \u201cI\u2019m trying to get clarification,\u201d Crockett explained. \u201cDon\u2019t tell me to calm down, because y\u2019all talk noise and then you can\u2019t take it. If I come and talk s*** about her, y\u2019all gonna have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania criticized the hearing, comparing it to The Jerry Springer Show. This drew criticism from Ocasio-Cortez, who posted on X (formerly Twitter): \u201cI understand you likely would not have stood up for your colleague and seem to be confused about racism and misogyny being a \u2018both sides\u2019 issue. But I stand up to bullies, instead of becoming one. And to the women of Pennsylvania: I\u2019d stand up for you too. Enjoy your Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Representative Veronica Escobar of Texas also admonished Fetterman. \u201cWomen of color in Congress are frequently targeted by misogynistic, xenophobic, ignorant people. I\u2019ve lived it,\u201d she said. \u201cOne of the shameless extremists we work with insulted @JasmineForUS, and @AOC used parliamentary procedure to demand a standard of decorum. There is no \u2018both sides.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The hearing was the latest chapter in House Republicans\u2019 ongoing efforts to impeach President Biden since they voted to begin an impeachment inquiry in December. Following the tumultuous session, House Speaker Mike Johnson admonished members, emphasizing the need for decorum. \u201cWhen we disagree \u2014 even vehemently \u2014 we have got to treat one another with dignity and respect,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s an important principle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week, Greene led a failed effort to remove Johnson from his position, with an overwhelming number of Democrats joining almost all Republicans to save him. This underscores the deep divisions and ongoing struggles within Congress, highlighting the challenges of maintaining civility amidst political tensions. The episode serves as a stark reminder of the volatility and unpredictability that can arise in the halls of power, reflecting broader societal conflicts and the urgent need for respectful discourse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Drinking was allegedly taking place in a committee room where a hearing devolved into insults of \u201cfake eyelashes\u201d and \u201cbleach blonde bad-built butch body\u201d being…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-282807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gb-news","category-uk-news"],"yoast_head":"\n