Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene confronted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over political and ideological differences in the Capitol Building on Wednesday.
The New York Democrat left the House chamber in the afternoon when the Georgia Republican initiated the confrontation by calling after her, according to two reporters who said they witnessed the exchange.
Greene called after her and then picked up her pace to catch up to Ocasio-Cortez. Greene began shouting at her, even though Ocasio-Cortez didn’t stop walking, according to the two Washington Post reporters. Greene asked why she supports antifa, a group of far-left activists who use violence, and Black Lives Matter, an organization that she called a “terrorist” group.
“You don’t care about the American people,” Greene reportedly shouted. “Why do you support terrorists and antifa?”
Ocasio-Cortez turned around to put her arms up in the air, and it’s unclear if she said something in response.
“Representative Greene tried to begin an argument with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, and when Rep. Ocasio-Cortez tried to walk away, Congresswoman Greene began screaming and called Rep. Ocasio-Cortez a terrorist sympathizer,” said Lauren Hitt, Ocasio-Cortez’s spokeswoman, in a statement.
Greene, speaking to a small group of onlookers, said the confrontation was meant to elicit a debate.
“She’s a chicken. She doesn’t want to debate the ‘Green New Deal,'” she said. “These members are cowards. They need to defend their legislation to the people. That’s pathetic.”
She made a similar remark about the incident on Twitter, saying, “Just talked to [Ocasio-Cortez] again. You chickened out [because] you are too scared to debate me about your Socialist Green New Deal. You are also a hate-America terrorist sympathizer. #JihadSquad Members of Congress do NOT support terrorism & shouldn’t be afraid to debate their legislation.”
Just talked to @AOC again.
You chickened out bc you are too scared to debate me about your Socialist Green New Deal.
You are also a hate-America terrorist sympathizer.#JihadSquad
Members of Congress do NOT support terrorism & shouldn’t be afraid to debate their legislation.
— Marjorie Taylor Greene ?? (@mtgreenee) May 12, 2021
Greene previously proposed a debate between herself and Ocasio-Cortez.
This isn’t the first time Greene has gotten into a public back-and-forth with a member of Congress.
In late January, she and Missouri Rep. Cori Bush reportedly exchanged words in passing as Bush urged Greene to wear a mask. In response, Greene brought up Bush’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The incident led to Bush moving offices away from Greene to avoid a similar confrontation.
“We hope leadership and the Sergeant at Arms will take real steps to make Congress a safe, civil place for all Members and staff — especially as many offices are discussing reopening,” Hitt added. “One Member has already been forced to relocate her office due to Congresswoman Greene’s attacks.”
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The Georgia lawmaker was removed from her committee assignments in a near-party-line vote as a result of social media remarks that predated her time in Congress on Feb. 4.
She ultimately apologized for many of the remarks, some of which included her support for conspiracy theories such as QAnon, a school shooting being a false flag event, and an interest in 9/11 trutherism. She later renounced her past conspiracy theory remarks in front of the House Republican Conference and on the floor of the House.
