Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke forcefully Thursday about her interactions with Rep. Jamaal Bowman, calling her Democratic colleague’s use of the term “white supremacist” an insult equal in severity to the n-word.
Greene held a press conference to announce a series of articles of impeachment he has filed against several federal officials, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The Georgia Republican also announced her plans to file articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden, with the promise of more to come.
While taking questions from reporters, Greene, a supporter of Donald Trump, deviated from the news of his impeachment trial to criticize Bowman after the most recent interaction between the two.
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Greene was asked by a reporter about the confrontation with Bowman, which took place as Republican Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., addressed reporters Wednesday afternoon. During the confrontation, Bowman urged Greene to save the Republican Party, which launched them into a public discussion that drew viewers.
In her press conference Thursday, Greene detailed her concerns about Bowman, saying the New York Democrat called Greene a “white supremacist” when she was protesting Trump’s arrest and arraignment in front of a New York court in April. .
“Jamaal Bowman led a crowd outside that courthouse and my life was in danger,” he said. “Jamaal Bowman was screaming at the top of his lungs, cursing, calling me a horrible name, calling me a white supremacist, which really offends me.
“That’s like calling a person of color the n-word, which should never happen. Calling me a white supremacist is equal to that and wrong,” she said.
In a statement, Bowman rebutted Greene’s accusations, calling them “reckless” and pointed to the many times in American history black men have been negatively characterized when they talk about something they are passionate about.
“That’s why it’s so important that we teach and know our history,” Bowman said. news week. “There’s a long tradition, which Marjorie should be well aware of, of black men who are passionate, outspoken, or holding their own being characterized as ‘threatening’ or ‘intimidating.’ That’s what happened with Emmett Till, with Mike Brown and with so many others.”
“This is, historically, what white supremacists do. They try to dehumanize black people, black skin and black humanity so that we can be harmed,” he said.
news week contacted Greene’s press team by email for comment.
Greene said Bowman launched a mob in response to Greene’s protests of Trump’s arrest. He then went on to detail the incident on Wednesday, in which Bowman allegedly approached Greene on the steps of the United States Capitol and yelled at her.
Greene called his physical gestures aggressive and accused Bowman of starting the altercation.
“I feel threatened by him,” she said. “He not only ran a mob there, but the boisterous lies of it. He said save your party. I kept telling him no, save the country, it’s not about political parties, we shouldn’t worry about political parties.
“I’m very concerned about Jamaal Bowman, and he’s someone people should watch,” Greene said before moving on to the next question.
In his statement, Bowman said the interaction between the two representatives at the US Capitol was a “light back and forth.” In a video of the encounter, both Bowman and Greene have raised their voices, constantly interrupting each other while surrounded by reporters.