In a tense exchange during a House committee hearing last week, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) accused Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) of making racist comments towards her. The confrontation occurred on Thursday as the committee was voting on whether to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. Greene went off on an unrelated tangent, demanding to know if any Democrats worked with the daughter of the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal trial. Crockett interjected, “Please tell me what that has to do with Merrick Garland. Do you know what we’re here for? You know we’re here about AG Garland?”
In a condescending remark, Greene snarked that Crockett’s “fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.” Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumped to Crockett’s defense, but Republicans voted to keep Greene’s comments in the official record. That’s when Crockett fired back with an indirect jab at Greene’s appearance, asking the committee chair if “somebody on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blonde, bad built, butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”
She didn't act like a thug, racist.
— PithyMcQueen (@PithyasHell) May 20, 2024
But MTG?
Marjorie TrailerPark Greene is the lousiest racist creepiest treasonous woman on the floor. She cut off Crockett w/her personal (& childish) eyelash comment. The #bombwalker need to learn how to act (or pretend to) like a legislator.
In an interview on CNN’s State of the Union, Crockett made it clear she believes Greene’s insult about her eyelashes was “absolutely” racist. She explained that the MAGA movement has a history of attacking Black women for wearing makeup like lashes and nails, calling it “ghetto.” “It is buying into a racist trope,” Crockett said. “But the reality is that women of all colors wear lashes.” The congresswoman accused Republicans of failing to punish Greene because the committee chair was worried he wouldn’t have enough votes for the contempt motion without her. “The source of the chaos is always Marjorie Taylor Greene,” Crockett stated.
When asked if she regretted her sharp comeback at Greene, Crockett said no. “I signed up to be a member of Congress. That didn’t mean that I was supposed to walk into a position where I’m going to walk in and be disrespected,” she explained. Crockett highlighted how the MAGA movement refuses to follow rules or respect the law, which is why they are rallying around Donald Trump amid his criminal trial. “He’s in trouble because he fails to respect the law,” she said pointedly.
The congresswoman also noted that she did not directly name Greene in her comments, but was simply trying to understand the parameters of acceptable speech during committee hearings. “I specifically asked a question. And I didn’t even mention her name. It was for clarification,” Crockett said. While CNN’s Jake Tapper said Crockett went back at Greene “1,000-fold,” she maintained she responded “in a very lawyerly way.” The confrontation underscores the deep partisan divisions and lack of civility that has taken hold in Congress.
Overall, Crockett refused to back down from the war of words with the controversial Greene. She made it clear she will not tolerate disrespect or racism, even from her colleagues across the aisle. As tensions continue to escalate, the clash could be a preview of more rancorous exchanges to come on Capitol Hill.
