Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, is blaming “repeat offenders” for recent spats in the committee’s hearings.
His comments seemingly refer to at least Reps. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), both of whom appeared to “engage in personalities” during last week’s meeting.
“It’s very unfortunate,” Comer said in an interview on CNN. “It wasn’t the first time. I hope it’s the last time. The members that have been constant repeat offenders of breaking decorum have all been called out, and hopefully, it won’t happen again.”
The hearing, regarding a contempt markup for Attorney General Merrick Garland, ran off topic when Greene and Crockett verbally boxed in front of a politically diverse blend of centrists, conservatives, and progressives on the committee.
“You’re not supposed to engage in personalities,” Comer said. “And unfortunately, that’s what happened in the last committee hearing. Rep. Greene’s words were struck [from the record], I think Rep. Crockett said some very inappropriate things as well.”
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) similarly involved themselves, asking for members of their opposing parties’ remarks to be struck down respectively.
Comer took over as committee chairman in January 2023, filling the spot left by former Rep. Carolyn Maloney. The House Oversight Committee is considered one of the most powerful House committees due to its “legislative jurisdiction over the District of Columbia, the government procurement process, federal personnel systems, the Postal Service and other matters.”
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Comer’s office referred the Washington Examiner to the CNN interview when asked for comment.
Comer has his own feud with a member of the committee. He previously said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) was ranking member Jamie Raskin’s (D-MD) “lap dog.” Moskowitz parodied his response in a video on Twitter, jokingly professing his “very much alive” relationship with Comer.