US House of Representatives: Right-wing populist Taylor Greene punished

The US House of Representatives has castigated right-wing populist Greene and removed her top committee positions. Among other things, he had called for the assassination of Democratic Chief Pelosi.

In the end, the majority was clear, 230 to 199 votes. With this, the Democrats, supported by eleven Republicans, ensured that Marjorie Taylor Greene would have to resign from her positions on parliamentary committees. The right-wing populist from Georgia is accused of spreading conspiracy theories, via school shootings, 9/11 or QAnon.

Sebastian Hesse
ARD-Studio Washington

“Taylor Greene has long posted content that is racist, anti-Semitic and hostile to Islam online,” said Florida Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch during the hours of debate leading up to the vote.

Defendant shows a little remorse

During the sometimes heated debate, the defendants also made public statements about the allegations for the first time. The 46-year-old Georgia construction contractor wore a mask that read “Free Speech.”

He said he never said QAnon during his election campaign or later as a member of parliament, nor did he make any of the other comments that would come to his mouth. These are words from the past, or from other places: “Words I said once, but now I regret it.”

Greene now assures: it happened on September 11

Taylor Greene described herself as a devout Christian who believed that sinners who repented would be forgiven. Many of his friends at the party would have liked to have heard those laments earlier. Also clarifying other quotes attributed to him: “The school shootings are absolutely real.” On previous occasions, he had suggested that the 2018 Parkland School massacre was staged. Also on September 11. September 11 really happened, he said in parliament.

On the eve of the debate, he had to justify himself to his group, behind closed doors. Her boss, the leader of the parliamentary group Kevin McCarthy, has apparently convinced her.

“She has admitted that she made mistakes,” McCarthy said, “and has not repeated any of the controversial statements since she was a deputy.” However, most of her fellow MPs did not want to believe that the provocative Taylor Greene purified herself overnight with her election to Congress.