Marjorie Taylor Greene Hits Out After Being Shut Down by Committee Chair

• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas a "liar" during a House of Representatives committee hearing.
• She was prevented from speaking further after the remark was "taken down" by the chair of the committee.
• The congresswoman was questioning the secretary about the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border when she accused him of lying.

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has hit back after her comments calling Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas a "liar" were stricken from the record in committee on Wednesday.

Greene made the remark during a hearing of the House of Representatives' Homeland Security Committee and she was prevented from speaking any further after the comment was "taken down" in a ruling by the chair, Republican Representative Mark Green.

The hearing came amid the ongoing concerns about drug trafficking across the southern border and divisions among Republicans about efforts to impeach Mayorkas now that the GOP has a narrow majority in the House. Greene, who supports efforts to impeach him, appeared dismayed that a member of her own party had agreed to block her from speaking.

Democrats also sought to strike other remarks Greene made at the same hearing after the Republican mentioned Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell's former ties with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang but those comments were not stricken from the record.

The congresswoman, who represents Georgia's 14th district, was questioning Mayorkas about the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border when she accused him of lying.

That accusation led to an intervention by Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, who called for the remarks to be "taken down."

Chairman Green agreed to strike the comment from the record and after a back-and-forth with other members, the congresswoman was prevented from making further comments based upon the rules of the committee.

"Republicans will never defeat the Democrats, we'll never impeach Mayorkas, we'll never impeach Biden, and we'll never implement our conservative agenda if we can't even call a liar a liar," Greene tweeted on Wednesday, sharing a video of her question to Mayorkas.

"Republicans should not let Democrats strike down our words and do their bidding for them," she added

Greene told Mayorkas on Wednesday: "In my district people die nearly every single day from fentanyl. And I want to know from you, how many more people do we have to watch die every single day in America? How many more young people? How many more teenagers? How many more parents cry themselves to sleep at night if they can even sleep because their child overdosed on fentanyl?

"How long are you going to continue this outrage, complete outrage, where China is poisoning America's children, poisoning our teenagers, poisoning our young people? How long are you going to let this go on?" she asked.

When Mayorkas replied "Congresswoman, let me assure you that we're not letting it go on. We are fighting," Greene cut in and accused the Homeland Security secretary of being a liar.

"No! I reclaim my time. You're a liar. You are letting this go on and the numbers prove it. You can't lie about the facts, Secretary Mayorkas," Greene said. "While you live in denial and sit over there with this attitude that you're doing everything right, you are killing Americans with your policies. And that is a fact. Your policy's killing people, over 300 Americans a day. Over 300 and it's outrageous. Let me ask you another question..."

Representative Thompson then jumped in and asked that Greene's remark calling Mayorkas a "liar" be "taken down." Greene was then given the opportunity to modify or withdraw her remarks but she would not withdraw her comment.

"I will not withdraw my remarks because the facts show the proof," she said, leading Chairman Green to rule that her remarks should be struck, saying that "identifying or calling someone a liar is unacceptable in this committee."

Democratic Representative Daniel Goldman then inquired about Thompson's request and said: "My understanding is if the words are taken down the member can no longer speak in whatever proceedings that those words were said."

Representative Greene then asked to make a "point of personal inquiry" and Goldman responded: "There's no such thing."

Chairman Green then said that when comments are struck, it "does terminate the time of the individual who is speaking" and added that Representative Greene was no longer recognized.

During the same hearing, Greene responded to comments by Representative Swalwell, a Democrat, who had criticized Greene for selling merchandise saying "Defund the FBI."

"That was quite entertaining from someone that had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy, and everyone knows it," Greene said. "But thanks for entertaining..."

Representative Goldman interjected, asking that those comments be stricken from the record. Goldman asked that "everything that the gentlelady from Georgia has said" be stricken but Chairman Green responded: "No, you need to be more specific."

"Accusations of an affair with a Chinese spy," Goldman said. "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."

Chairman Green responded that the "latter part of that is not an appropriate motion" and added "but we will evaluate the striking of those words. Give me just a second."

Representative Greene refused to withdraw her remark about Swalwell and Chairman Green ruled that her comment would not be stricken and the motion to strike was tabled, allowing Greene to continue with her comments.

Newsweek has reached out to Marjorie Taylor Greene's office via email for further comment.