Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) is facing widespread criticism and a possible sanction after accosting and yelling at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) outside the House Chamber.
The incident between the two congresswomen was witnessed by two reporters for the Washington Post, which detailed the event in a story.
Taylor Greene reportedly made a scene, yelling at Ocasio-Cortez that left-leaning groups such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa were “terrorists.” The Republican shouted that Ocasio-Cortez didn’t “care about the American people,” and AOC walked away from the situation, having thrown up her hands in frustration.
A spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez confirmed the incident to the Post and said the congresswoman hoped House leadership and the House sergeant at arms would take action and “make Congress a safe, civil place for all Members and staff.”
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The Georgia Republican mocked the New York Democrat on Thursday for wanting security to intervene, and blasted her as a “fraud” and a “hypocrite.”
Speaking to reporters after the altercation, she also branded Ocasio-Cortez a “chicken” who could not defend her policy positions to the public. Taylor Greene has offered to debate the Democrat multiple times on the Green New Deal, but Ocasio-Cortez has not yet taken her up on the offer.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, commenting on the incident in a press conference, said Taylor Greene may have committed an ethics violation.
“This is beneath the dignity of a person serving in the Congress of the United States and is a cause for trauma and fear among members, especially on the heels of an insurrection – one which the minority in the committee yesterday denied ever happened,” she told reporters, adding that action regarding the “verbal assault” could “rise to the level of an ethics complaint.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s supporters on social media praised her handling of the situation, applauding her for walking away from the QAnon fanatic.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Ethics Committee should “probably” look into Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) “verbal assault” and “abuse” of Rep. @AOC (D-NY) yesterday at the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/hV3HX3EYoM
— The Recount (@therecount) May 13, 2021
