HOUSE Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling for an ethics probe after Republican Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene allegedly "verbally assaulted" Democrat Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The high-ranking California Democrat on Thursday denounced the behavior and hoped the House Ethics Committee would investigate.

“It was reported to our office about what happened as members were leaving the floor yesterday of the verbal assault and abuse of our colleague AOC,” Pelosi said during a press conference.

She described the spat on Wednesday as “beyond the pale of anything that is in keeping with bringing honor to the House or not bringing dishonor to the House.”

For this reason, she called for an inquiry saying this “probably is a matter for the Ethics Committee.” 

Pelosi even channeled the raw emotions of the January 6 insurrection on the US Capitol: "This is beneath the dignity of a person serving in the Congress of the United States.

"It's a cause for trauma and fear among members, especially on the heels of an insurrection on which the minority in the committee yesterday denied ever happened." 

Greene countered Pelosi’s interpretation of what happened, suggesting instead that she didn’t scream and that if an ethics probe is launched it should look at Ocasio-Cortez for endangering conservatives' safety and livelihoods.

“Actually, @SpeakerPelosi the Ethics Committee [sic] should look into @AOC for putting Trump admin staff and supporters on lists to destroy their lives and prevent future employment,” according to a tweet.

“She threatened the livelihoods of Americans for simply being Republicans.

“BTW, there was no screaming.”

Ocasio-Cortez thought back to her bartending days, comparing Greene to an unruly customer who needed to be booted from one of the bars she tended.

“I used to work as a bartender. These are the kinds of people that I threw out of bars all the time,” AOC said.

The Republican questioned if Ocasio-Cortez ever threw anyone out of a bar and called out her policies and her as frail.

"@AOC you’ve never thrown anyone out of a bar, you’re too scared to talk to anyone," Greene tweeted Thursday night.

"You’re too weak & afraid to debate me about your own socialist policy that would plunge your own constituents into poverty.

"You only know how to hide and play victim."

Separately, Ocasio-Cortez said Greene was “certainly chasing” her through the House, but noted what happened was bigger than her. 

"It's that I refuse to allow young women, people of color, people who are standing up for what they believe, to see this kind of intimidation attempts by a person who supports white supremacists in our nation's capital," she told reporters, according to CNN.

The Wednesday afternoon incident reportedly involved the freshman Georgia lawmaker Greene attempting to engage her New York colleague Ocasio-Cortez about her endorsing of Antifa “terrorists,” according to The Washington Post.

Greene was witnessed allegedly shouting twice at the Democrat: “Hey Alexandria.”

She then reportedly tried to put Ocasio-Cortez on the spot for defending Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Greene was heard loudly questioning Ocasio-Cortez's patriotism.

“You don't care about the American people,” she said, according to the Post. "Why do you support terrorists and Antifa?"

Ocasio-Cortez reportedly didn’t engage and was witnessed turning around once and throwing her hands in the air.

Greene attempted to describe the confrontation at the House in a tweet, writing: “Just talked to @AOC again. 

“You chickened out [because] you are too scared to debate me about your Socialist Green New Deal," she wrote in the tweet.

“You are also a hate-America terrorist sympathizer. 

“#JihadSquad Members of Congress do NOT support terrorism & shouldn't be afraid to debate their legislation."

Most read in News

As for Pelosi's call for the Ethics Committee to investigate Greene, the controversial Washington newcomer considered it to be juvenile. 

"No, she doesn't need to file ethics violations or whatever she's doing,” she said, according to CNN. 

“That's reacting like a child. Adults are able to debate policy."

Source: Read Full Article