Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) condemned the tone of a raucous Thursday night House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing saying members need to show decorum.
“It’s not a good look for Congress,” Johnson told reporters as they asked about a meeting that fell into chaos after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) taunted Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) for using false eyelashes.
“Decorum is an important principle to maintain. … And we need people on both sides of the aisle to just, I think, just take the emotion out of it. We can have vigorous debate. That’s what this institution is built upon. But you know, we have to treat one another with dignity and respect.”
The Oversight Committee met Thursday to consider a measure to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress after he failed to turn over audio files of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur.
“Please tell me what that has to do with Merrick Garland,” Crockett said at one point during the hearing, later adding, “Do you know what we’re here for?”
“I don’t think you know what you’re here for,” Greene responded. “I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.”
But the topic was swiftly overshadowed by a lengthy detour after Democrats demanded Greene’s comments be taken down or struck from the record.
While the panel later voted to censure Greene for the remarks, she refused demands to apologize.
Crockett on Friday accused Greene of racism.
Johnson and Greene are both Republicans, but have their own differences. Greene last week triggered a vote on a motion to oust Johnson, who survived with the help of Democrats.