Wednesday’s House Homeland Security Committee hearing spiraled out of control after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) tore into Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
The exchange took place after Swalwell finished his allotted time questioning Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. During his time, Swalwell highlighted anti-police rhetoric online, and referenced a post from Greene which called for defunding the FBI.
Greene began interrupting his statements, calling for him to yield, but she was not recognized.
“It concerns me that there is this anti-police rhetoric that’s happening among some in the MAGA Republican party because they vote against police funding that was included in the Covid relief package. They vote against police reform efforts that would put millions of dollars in community police officers on our street,” Swalwell said.
“They vote and are against the union protections that allow them to collectively bargain. And as we honor the hundreds of January 6th officers who were hurt that day, too many of them gave comfort and aid at the DC jail,” he added.
Swalwell pivoted his questioning to the rise of anti-Semitism in America, a phenomenon that Mayorkas agreed with, and pointed out that other minority groups are experiencing a rise in violence as well.
“Mr. Secretary, do you believe that all of us have a responsibility to elevate our rhetoric and to denounce anti-Semitism and anti-police rhetoric in this country so that Jewish Americans and police officers can be safer?” Swalwell asked.
“Congressman, I do,” Mayorkas said.
Greene was then given her five minutes to speak.
“That was quite entertaining from someone that had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy and everyone knows it,” Greene said.
“I move to take her words down,” Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) motioned.
“Completely inappropriate,” another committee member muttered as they checked the rules for removing Greene’s remarks.
“I need to reclaim my — make sure I have my full five minutes,” Greene said.
Goldman was asked what specifically he would want to be removed from the record.
“Accusations of an affair with a Chinese spy. Those are engaging in personalities and those words should be taken down and the gentlelady should not be able to speak anymore in this hearing,” Goldman said.
As the committee began to evaluate the request, Greene was asked if she would like to remove anything that she said from the record.
“No I would not,” Greene said defiantly.
The GOP-led committee eventually ruled to not remove Greene’s comments from the record.
The comments regarding a Chinese spy were in reference to Christine Fang who fundraised for Swalwell in 2012. The government alerted Swalwell in 2015 that they believed Fang to be a spy, at which point he and his campaign immediately cut all contact.
According to Andrew Feinberg of The Independent, “Mr. Swalwell cooperated in an FBI probe which led to the alleged spy, Christine Fang, leaving the US for China, but there is no evidence that he had any sort of sexual relationship with her.”
Watch above via Homeland Security Committee Events on YouTube.
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