A U.S. House committee hearing intended to discuss serious matters devolved into a spectacle of personal attacks, with lawmakers trading insults including accusations of “fake eyelashes” and the now-viral phrase “bleach blonde bad-built butch body song.” The chaotic scene unfolded in a committee room where, according to reports, drinking may have been taking place, further fueling the already tense atmosphere between Republican and Democrat representatives.
Sources from both parties informed Politico about potential alcohol consumption during the evening, though specific individuals were not named. The hearing, convened to address whether Attorney General Merrick Garland should be held in contempt of Congress, quickly spiraled out of control when Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene initiated the personal attacks, targeting Democrat Jasmine Crockett’s appearance.
The initial salvo from Ms. Greene concerned Ms. Crockett’s “fake eyelashes.” This came after Ms. Greene questioned if any Democrats on the committee were employing the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Republicans, including Mr. Trump, have repeatedly criticized Judge Merchan for alleged bias due to his daughter’s work with Democratic campaigns.
“I’d like to know if any Democrats on the committee are employing Judge [Juan] Merchan’s daughter?” Ms Greene questioned on Thursday evening, as reported by Yahoo News.
Ms. Crockett, a freshman member of the Oversight Committee, understandably responded, “Please tell me what that has to do with Merrick Garland?”
To which Ms. Greene retorted, “I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Tex.) engage in heated exchange during House Oversight Committee hearing
The situation rapidly deteriorated, with Chairman James Comer struggling to restore order for nearly an hour. Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez vehemently condemned Ms. Greene’s remarks as “disgusting” and “unacceptable,” directly addressing the impropriety of personal attacks on physical appearance.
“How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez exclaimed.
Ms. Greene, in turn, taunted Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, mockingly asking if her feelings had been hurt, escalating the already volatile situation.
Jamie Raskin, the leading Democrat on the committee, also intervened, stating, “That’s beneath even you Ms Greene,” expressing his dismay at the level of discourse. Despite the widespread condemnation, Ms. Greene only agreed to have her initial comments stricken from the record but refused to apologize to Ms. Crockett, further inflaming tensions among Democrats.
When Ms. Ocasio-Cortez declined to engage further with Ms. Greene, the Republican representative made a final cutting remark, questioning Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s intelligence, stating, “Yeah, you don’t have enough intelligence.”
Following this series of insults, Ms. Crockett sought clarification from Chairman Comer regarding the boundaries of acceptable conduct during hearings. She pointedly asked, “If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blond, bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”
This question, referencing a hypothetical insult laden with derogatory terms about physical appearance, caused confusion, with Mr. Comer responding, “Uh, what now?”
Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna then requested that Ms. Crockett’s words be stricken from the record, a move that provoked strong objections from Democrats and further deepened the partisan divide.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) rebukes Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) during contentious House Oversight Committee Hearing
Ms. Crockett defended her line of questioning, stating, “I’m trying to get clarification. Don’t tell me to calm down, because y’all talk noise and then you can’t take it, because if I come and talk s*** about her, y’all gonna have a problem.” Her remarks underscored the escalating animosity and breakdown of traditional decorum within the committee.
The contentious hearing occurred against the backdrop of House Republicans’ ongoing efforts to impeach President Biden, an endeavor that has faced significant setbacks. In the wake of the chaotic session, House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a statement admonishing members.
“When we disagree — even vehemently — we have got to treat one another with dignity and respect,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of civility even amidst political disagreements. Just the previous week, Ms. Greene had led an unsuccessful attempt to remove Mr. Johnson from his speakership, highlighting the internal divisions and turbulent political climate within the House.
The hearing’s descent into personal insults and the “Bleach Blonde Bad Built Botched Body Song” phrase reflects a concerning trend of eroding civility in political discourse, overshadowing the substantive issues at hand and further polarizing the political landscape.
