The two most famous sets of initials in US politics clashed in a chaotic House hearing on Thursday, as the progressive star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or AOC, objected fiercely to an attack on another Democrat by the far-right Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, or MTG.
The oversight committee hearing concerned Republican attempts to hold the US attorney general, Merrick Garland, in contempt, for refusing to release tapes of interviews between Joe Biden and the special counsel Robert Hur.
Things went wrong when MTG made a partisan point, trying to tie Democrats to the judge in Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money case – which, by drawing a number of Republicans to the New York courtroom to support Trump, was responsible for the hearing starting late in the day.
In answer to MTG, Jasmine Crockett of Texas said: “Please tell me what that has to do with Merrick Garland … Do you know what we’re here for? You know we’re here about AG Garland?”
Greene, a conspiracy theorist from Georgia, said: “I don’t think you know what you’re here for … I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.”
Amid jeers and calls for order, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said: “That’s beneath even you, Miss Greene.”
AOC, of New York, demanded MTG’s words be taken down.
As defined by the Congressional Research Service, that meant AOC thought MTG had “violated the rules of decorum in the House” and should withdraw her words.
“That is absolutely unacceptable,” AOC said. “How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?”
MTG said: “Are your feelings hurt?”
AOC said: “Move her words down.”
MTG said: “Aw.”
AOC said: “Oh, girl. Baby girl.”
Amid laughter, MTG said: “Oh really?”
AOC said: “Don’t even play.”
MTG said: “Baby girl? I don’t think so.”
AOC said: “We’re gonna move and we’re gonna take your words down.”
James Comer, the Republican chair from Kentucky, struggled to impose order, eventually saying: “Miss Greene agrees to strike her words.”
AOC said: “I believe she must apologise.”
MTG said: “I’m not apologising.”
AOC said: “Well then, you’re not retracting your words.”
MTG said: “I’m not apologising.”
Comer banged his gavel, pleading: “C’mon, guys.”
MTG said: “Why don’t you debate me?”
As Raskin tried to interject, AOC said: “I think it’s pretty self-evident.”
MTG said: “Yeah, you don’t have enough intelligence.”
Comer cried, “You’re out of order, you’re out of order,” and tried to recognise Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, another pro-Trump extremist. Jeers broke out, Raskin calling: “I move to strike the lady’s words.”
“That’s two requests to strike,” AOC said.
MTG said: “Oh, they cannot take the words.”
Raskin told Comer: “Please get your members under control.”
MTG said: “I repeat again for the second time, yes, I’ll strike my words but I’m not apologising. Not apologising!”
Extraordinarily enough, that wasn’t the end. Crockett asked Comer: “I’m just curious, just to better understand your ruling. If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach-blond, bad-built, butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”
Comer said: “A what now? … I have no idea what you just said.”
Next to him, Raskin buried his face in his hands.
Comer imposed a five-minute recess. When the hearing resumed, Lauren Boebert – the Colorado extremist and theatrical exhibitionist who usually battles for attention with MTG – was of all people the one to offer an apology “to the American people”.
“When things get as heated as they have,” Boebert said, “unfortunately, it’s an embarrassment on our body as a whole.”
