What Happened?: Marjorie Taylor Greene has landed at the center of controversy again, this time for comparing Nancy Pelosi’s mask mandate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, to Nazi practices requiring Jews to wear gold stars during the Holocaust.
The Setting: Greene made her remarks on Real America’s Voice network’s show “The Water Cooler with David Brody.”
The Quote: Greene began by calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insane, and then made her Nazi comparison. The quote is below.
“You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star, and they were definitely treated like second-class citizens — so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about.”
The Backlash: Several of Greene’s fellow-Republicans have spoken out against her comments in recent days. One of her top critics was Liz Cheney, who was recently ousted from her leadership role in the House of Representatives. Cheney called Greene’s remarks “evil lunacy.”
Republican Adam Kinzinger of Illinois called the remarks “absolute sickness,” and Republican Congressman from Michigan Peter Meijer called Greene’s comments “beyond reprehensible.”
Doubling Down: Despite criticism, Greene has doubled down on her remarks, saying in interviews she said nothing wrong.
“I think any rational Jewish person didn’t like what happened in Nazi Germany and any rational Jewish person doesn’t like what’s happening with overbearing mask mandates and overbearing vaccine policies,” she said.
Who does Greene Represent?: According to the U.S. Census, Greene’s district is 85.3% white and has a median household income of $42,700. The district has a high school graduation rate of 79.1% and a college graduation rate of 16.6%.
Photo: Marjorie Taylor Greene (right) attends a protest over impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in Sandy Springs on Oct. 9, 2019. (Photo by Beau Evans)
About The Public Record: This article is part of an ongoing series highlighting statements by public officials called The Public Record, where we present recent quotes and actions of public officials or candidates. You may not be able to attend every public meeting or see every occasion where your representatives speak, but you still have a right to know what your representatives and those who hope to represent you have been saying.
“Because public men and women are amenable ‘at all times’ to the people, they must conduct the public’s business out in the open.” -Charles L. Weltner Sr., former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court
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