House committee hearing disrupted as Marjorie Taylor Greene and AOC clash over 'fake eyelashes' jibe

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett's appearance, prompting AOC to intervene at a House committee hearing.

• House committee hearing disrupted as Rep. Taylor Greene and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez clashed.
• Greene criticized Jasmine Crockett's appearance, prompting AOC to demand her words be struck.
• The dispute began during a vote to hold Attorney General Garland in contempt of Congress.

A House Oversight Committee was disrupted on Thursday evening when Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez exchanged barbs that led to nearly an hour of disorder.

The war of words broke out as the committee voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over an audio recording of President Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur.

Georgia Republican Rep. Greene asked if any Democrats on the panel were employing the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York.

"Please tell me what that has to do with Merrick Garland," Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett asked, adding, "Do you know what we're here for?"

Greene responded: "I don't think you know what you're here for. I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you're reading."

New York Democrat Ocasio-Cortez then stepped in, saying Greene's comments were "absolutely unacceptable" and asking her: "How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?"

Ocasio-Cortez called for Greene's words to be struck from the record.

The pair traded jibes until Ocasio-Cortez told Greene, "Oh, girl, baby girl, don't even play."

She was then cut off by Chairman James Comer calling for order. At one point, Comer was forced to gesture to his ears and say, "I don't know if you noticed, but I have two hearing aids. I'm very deaf, I'm not understanding, everyone is shouting. I am doing the best I can."

Greene then said: "Baby, girl? I don't think so." Ocasio-Cortez replied: "We are gonna move and we are gonna take your words down."

Chairman Comer suspended the hearing while they decided whether to strike Greene's words. 

While they discussed it, Ocasio-Cortez could be heard saying "No way is that being allowed, not today."

She added: "We're not going to do a smarmy apology. She has to actually apologize. And that needs to be up to Ms. Crockett as well. It needs to be sincere."

Greene later said she would strike her words but refused to apologize and called Ocasio-Cortez "not intelligent."

Business Insider did not immediately receive a response from Greene's office regarding her comments.

Jasmine Crockett posted on X later that evening: "So MTG wanted to talk about my appearance in COMMITTEE?!"

"This is what happens when mentally deficient people who can't read and follow rules or just don't give a damn… somehow end up in CONGRESS!" she wrote.

The committee eventually voted to hold Merrick Garland in criminal contempt. It means the motion will move to the full House for a vote. 

AOC and Greene have a long history of animosity

In 2021, Greene attacked Ocasio-Cortez with a slew of offensive remarks. She called her a "little communist" and "not an American" to then labelling her a "hate-America terrorist sympathizer."

Ocasio-Cortez replied on X, writing, "First of all, I'm taller than her."

The pair clashed again last year when Greene accused Ocasio-Cortez of acting like a "teenage girl" after the latter accused the Republican of "trafficking in antisemitic conspiracy theories."

"I have repeatedly asked you to debate me, but you have been a coward and can't even respond. But you go on CNN and lie about me," Greene tweeted in response.

"When are you going to be an adult and actually debate me on policy instead of run your mouth like a teenage girl?"