Jamaal Bowman says Marjorie Taylor Greene used racial ‘bullhorn’ after Capitol exchange
Rep. Jamaal Bowman accused Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of using a racist “megaphone” when she called it threatening during a confrontation on the steps of the US Capitol.
The two exchanged blows Wednesday after the House of Representatives voted to refer Rep. George Santos’ expulsion to the House Ethics Committee.
At a news conference on Thursday, Ms Greene criticized the New York Democrat, an outspoken progressive, for calling her a white supremacist.
“It’s like calling a person of color the N-word,” she said. “Jamaal Bowman was down there yelling at me and telling me to get out of there, right in front of the vehicle I was in.”
Mr. Bowman confronted Ms. Greene after the vote about taking the embattled New York Republican representative’s expulsion to the House Ethics Committee rather than subjecting his expulsion to a full vote in the House plenary.
“The video shows Jamaal Bowman screaming and cursing at the top of his lungs,” she said. “I call myself a white supremacist, which offends me greatly. It’s like using the N-word to refer to a person of color.”
Ms Greene accused Mr Bowman of “leading the mob right in front of a vehicle” as she prepared to leave the Capitol. She then noted that he confronted her after the vote.
“His physical behaviors are aggressive,” she said, criticizing his recent interaction with Rep. Thomas Massie (R – Kentucky) and accusing him of shoving Mr Massie when he spoke about gun violence. “I’m worried. I feel threatened by him.”
But Mr Bowman called Ms Greene’s words “incredibly dangerous” and “incredibly reckless”.
“Unfortunately, this country has a long history of characterizing Black men who are outspoken, standing firm and fighting back as threatening or intimidating,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill. “So she doesn’t even use a dog whistle. She’s using a megaphone to point a target on my back at what she calls MAGA people out there who might be out to cause harm.”
The daily beast‘S Ursula Perano filmed the interaction as Mr Bowman admonished Ms Greene, who has promoted conspiracies like QAnon, to manipulate the Republican Party.
Finally, Mr. Bowman’s friend, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D – New York), chimed in and told him of Ms. Greene, “She’s not worth it, brother.”
During their back-and-forth, Mr Bowman told Ms Greene of Mr Santos: “Write him out. save the party The party is hanging by a thread.”
But Ms. Greene deflected, saying, “We need to get rid of Biden to save the country,” before attempting to chant “impeach Biden.”
Mr Bowman then said Ms Greene needed to stop spreading conspiracy theories.
“No more QAnon,” he said, to which Ms. Greene replied, “No more CNN.”
“No more nonsense about the debt ceiling,” he said. “Come on now. Save the party.”
Mr Bowman also urged Ms Greene to do something about guns.
“So close the border,” Ms Greene said, causing Mr Bowman to scoff.
“The line is where Trump left it,” he said.
Mr. Bowman eventually followed Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s advice.
The confrontation came after Mr. Bowman and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez harassed Mr. Santos outside the Capitol and implored him to resign during a conversation with reporters.
Last week, Mr Santos was charged with 13 felonies relating to wire fraud, money laundering, misrepresentation to the House of Representatives and theft of public funds.
The charges come months after it was revealed Mr Santos lied on his resume before he was elected to represent New York’s 3rd Circuit.
Democrats have been pushing for Mr Santos’ resignation, citing ethical concerns – including Mr Bowman and Ms Ocasio-Cortez.
