A recent House Oversight Committee hearing on the rhubarb issue revealed the following:
The divisions within Congress are not superficial.
“I think your fake eyelashes are ruining what you’re reading,” Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia scolded, staring across the room at Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas.
In Congress, “yes” usually has it. But in this case, it was the eyelashes.
Greene faced fierce backlash from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York).
“How can you attack someone else’s appearance?” Ocasio-Cortez charged.
“Are your feelings hurt?” shot back Green.
“Oh, baby girl, don’t play with me!” Ocasio-Cortez joked.
The House Oversight Committee was preparing to file a contempt of Congress charge against Attorney General Merrick Garland, but the scandal threw the committee into turmoil.
This is a whole new take on Max Factor’s old tagline, “Makeup with Attitude.”
It’s a good thing the late Rep. Frank Muscala (D-Pennsylvania) wasn’t anywhere near Donnybrook.
Everyone, please check him out.
AOC and ‘Baby Girl’ Marjorie Taylor Greene exchange harsh words during fiery Garland hearing: ‘Are you hurt?’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene got into a fight during a congressional hearing. (Getty Images)
Members of Congress are generally prohibited from making “personal attacks” or speculating about the motives of their colleagues’ actions. Despite strong protests from Democrats, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) ruled that Greene’s disparagement of Crockett was appropriate.
Mr. Crockett then began to verbally disparage Mr. Green himself in an attempt to clarify the chairman’s ruling. However, Crockett deftly insulted Green while adhering to the etiquette established by Comer.
“If someone on this committee starts talking about someone’s bleached blonde hair, their short build, their manly body, that’s not an attack on their character, is it?” Crockett questioned.
“What, now?” asked Comer, confused.
The committee meeting was embarrassing for lawmakers on both sides.
“We have to get back to a place where we can actually do business,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif..
“I don’t think the American people should be treated like that,” said Rep. Ana Paulina Luna, R-Florida.
“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” asked Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Florida. “Our enemies are laughing.”
So for Congress, it was a bad look for the body.
But it’s unclear if that’s the House of Representatives. Or the bleach blonde, hulking, butch bod?
Greene has had adversaries in the House Republican Conference, one of whom appears to be Republican Representative Lauren Boebert. Greene and Boebert stood close to each other during President Biden’s 2022 State of the Union address, wooing the president with nearly every syllable. But their alliance cracked over the election of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in early 2022. Greene supported McCarthy, while Boebert was among the resistance. Boebert infamously confronted Greene on Capitol Hill, where Greene ultimately called Boebert “kind of nasty.”
CNN host talks about his response to Congressman Crockett, who is at odds with the representative. Green during a house crash: “You did the same thing.”
Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jasmine Crockett were at odds during a heated House Oversight Committee hearing. (Getty Images)
It is unclear whether there was any explanation regarding eyelashes during that exchange.
But Boebert exacted revenge on Greene last week. During the debate before the Congressional Oversight Committee, Boebert voted with Democrats on a motion to punish her rival.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the oversight committee, characterized it as “the best move of the night.”
It’s also worth noting that the heated scenes at the committee meeting subsided after dark. The Oversight Committee had originally planned a markup session in the morning, but with so many Republicans fleeing to New York to see the off-Broadway production “The People v. Donald J. Trump,” the committee moved the meeting to the evening.
By the time everyone hurried back to Washington, Rep. Melanie Stansbury of Minnesota and other Democrats accused some Republicans on the committee of drinking on the job.
“The members were not drinking,” said Rep. Byron Donald, R-Florida.
“It’s worth investigating whether there was in fact drinking going on,” Raskin said, “because it created the atmosphere of a frat-club party when we came back from New York after the Trump trial.”
So maybe they weren’t drinking, but with what’s going on right now at the Capitol, can you blame them if they were?
Now, it’s no secret that lawmakers have been known to down a cocktail or three during late-night congressional or committee hearings.
Lately, things have been quite noisy at the Capitol. Chaos oozes from that very place.
This week, Capitol Police summoned a hazmat unit to the Republican National Committee headquarters after a vial of blood was mailed there.
California Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman walked through the door Wednesday to attend a House hearing with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Anti-Israel demonstrators chased Congressman Sherman to an elevator and asked him if he was concerned about war crimes in Gaza. My colleague Tyler Olson reported that Sherman was furious and accused one of the protesters of supporting the Houthis.
Another protester got into an altercation with Rep. Brian Mast (R-Florida) outside Speaker Blinken’s hearing venue. The protester was wearing a white Palestinian soccer uniform. A Capitol Police officer intervened on behalf of Rep. Mast.
“You’re in the way! No, you’re not in the way of members of Congress,” the officer yelled.
US Capitol Police find baggies of cocaine in ‘smuggling-intensive’ hallway at Washington DC headquarters
That’s true. The Constitution prohibits any form of interference with members of Congress in carrying out their official duties.
A violent altercation then ensued between police and protesters.
“That’s a federal violation!” the officer yelled.
“He came to me!” the protester replied.
“No problem. Don’t disturb the members of Congress,” the officer warned.
A protective team rushed to the Republican National Committee headquarters. (Fox News)
Mr. Mast then walked past and entered the hearing room.
“Someone check this man’s badge! He’s dangerous!” shouted anti-Israel protesters.
“We’re going to arrest you. This is a federal offense,” the officer countered.
“And I’m going to get rich by suing the federal government for false arrest,” the protester declared.
You can’t sue Congress, but never mind.
The protesters then began hurling insults at the officer as he walked away.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) briefly engaged a group of anti-Israel protesters.
“Enjoy your First Amendment,” Burchett said. “That won’t happen in Palestine.”
Demonstrators may not be able to prevent lawmakers from doing their official business, and they can say almost anything to anyone in the hallways of Congress. But even members of Congress do not have a perfect rhetorical plan when it comes to what they can say on the floor of the House of Commons.
Republican Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana called for the raising of the House flag after Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts made remarks about former President Trump.
“Donald Trump may want to be king, but he’s not a king,” said McGovern, the ranking Democrat on the Rules Committee. “We have a presumptive presidential nominee facing 88 indictments.”
After extensive behind-the-scenes consultations with House clerks and a review of precedent, the House ruled that McGovern’s comments were “disorderly.” The Speaker of the House at the time was Republican Rep. Jerry Carl of Alabama. Carl declared that the comments about Trump were “personally offensive.” The House prohibits members from making personal insults about other members, senators or the president.
Kahl ruled that Trump could not use those words on the House floor because he is “vested with presidential privileges.” Kahl added that the House “determines that those words are offensive and they will be struck from the record.”
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The House then barred McGovern from speaking on the floor for the remainder of the day.
“Apparently there are people on the other side of the aisle who want to shut him up because Jim McGovern overpowers them every time he speaks,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. “They find it distasteful and they can’t stand it.”
Congress is an ugly, tense place these days. You can’t put lipstick on a pig. The rifts run deep.
And it’s highly unlikely that the senators will kiss and “make up.”
