Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) denounced freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for her QAnon lunacy. On Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, he said her ‘loony lies’ and conspiracy theories are cancer on the Republican Party and the United States.
Her belief in the far-right conspiracy theories she espouses is not consistent with someone who is living reality. McConnell mentioned a few of the beliefs Greene publically supports, such as no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that Democrats scripted the school shootings to rally support for gun control, and the Clintons killed JFK Jr. by crashing his plane. He added:
This has nothing to do with the challenges facing American families or the robust debates on substance that can strengthen our party.
McConnell’s specific denunciation increases the pressure for House Republicans to take action against Rep. Greene.
Her persistent boasting that she has the full support of former President Donald Trump appears to keep Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) on her side.
McCarthy’s spokesman told ABC News Greene’s comments are alarming. He added the leader “plans to have a conversation with the Congresswoman.” As of Monday, no such discussion between the two has occurred.
In response to his inaction, House Democrats insist Greene be removed from her committee assignments. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) plans to introduce a resolution to remove Greene from both the House Education and Labor and the House Budget committees. She needs to be stripped of her assignments based on her militant refusal to recant her controversial actions and statements.
The House Rules Committee will debate the resolution on Wednesday, February 3, which prepares the judgment for floor action if Republican leadership fails to dismiss Greene from her assignments.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) stated:
It is my hope and expectation that Republicans will do the right thing and hold Rep. Greene accountable, and we will not need to consider this resolution. But we are prepared to do so if necessary.
The resolution would be considered privileged. Based on the Guide to Legislative Process in the House, certain matters are regarded as privileged matters and may interrupt the order of business.
House Democrats have called for Greene to be censored, which is little more than a slap on the wrist. Instead, she should be expelled from the House of Representatives — the last expulsion was James A. Traficant on July 24, 2002.
When Greene was campaigning for her congressional seat, the GOP House leadership refused to endorse her, and Republican House Whip Steve Scalise vowed to back her primary opponent. Her statements were called disgusting and appalling by the very GOP members who enthusiastically welcomed her to D.C.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
The Washington Post: GOP’s McConnell blasts ‘loony lies’ by Ga. Rep. Greene; by Brian Slodysko
ABC News: House Democrats file resolution to strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of committee assignments; Mariam Khan
Guide to Legislative Process in the House: Resolutions
United States House of Representatives Archives: List of Individuals Expelled, Censured, or Reprimanded in the U.S. House of Representatives
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
