House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) issued a statement on Feb. 3 stating that although he condemns Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) past social-media posts, he doesn’t support removing her from her committee assignments.
Greene’s comments have included accusing the Rothschild family of starting the 2018 California wildfires with a space laser; alleging that the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., was a “false flag” operation; and liking a post that called for executing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
“Past comments from and endorsed by Marjorie Taylor Greene on school shootings, political violence and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories do not represent the values or beliefs of the House Republican Conference,” said McCarthy. “I condemn those comments unequivocally. I condemned them in the past. I continue to condemn them today. This House condemned QAnon last Congress and continues to do so today.”
However, he added that after he met with Greene, she seemed to understand how she needs to hold herself to a “higher standard” as a member of Congress than she did as a private citizen. “I hold her to her word, as well as her actions going forward,” he said.
“While Democrats pursue a resolution on Congresswoman Greene, they continue to do nothing about Democrats serving on the Foreign Affairs Committee who have spread anti-Semitic tropes, Democrats on the House Intelligence and Homeland Security Committee compromised by Chinese spies or the chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee who advocated for violence against public servants,” said McCarthy, referencing Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), respectively.
“In the end, this resolution continues to distract Congress, especially given the limited time that Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat leadership want the House to debate and work, [from] what it needs to focus on: getting Americans back to work, getting kids back to school and providing vaccines to all Americans who need it.”
Pelosi responded with a statement accusing McCarthy of being “cowardly” and designated him as “(Q-CA),” an apparent reference to the QAnon conspiracy theories that Greene has supported in past social-media posts.
“The House will continue with a vote to strip Greene of her seat on the esteemed House Committee on Education & Labor and House Committee on Budget. McCarthy’s failure to lead his party effectively hands the keys over to Greene—an anti-Semite, QAnon adherent and 9/11 Truther,” the statement read.
This article was first published by the Jewish Journal.