Rep. Louie Gohmert said Monday that fellow Rep. Steve Cohen owes a conservative witness an apology after a heated exchange during a hearing over the abortion “Heartbeat Bill.”
The exchange Mr. Gohmert, Texas Republican, was referencing occurred at a hearing for the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice on Nov. 1. Lawmakers heard from witnesses on a bill that would ban all abortions after doctors can detect a heartbeat in the fetus, which is typically around six weeks of pregnancy.
The committee had witness Star Parker, an African-American Republican activist, testify about the bill.
Mr. Cohen, Tennessee Democrat, called Ms. Parker “ignorant” when she was discussing why she feels abortion should not be categorized as a health welfare program, which she said Democrats often do.
The exchange became heated, and Mr. Gohmert stepped in to try and calm the situation, saying Mr. Cohen perhaps owed Ms. Star an apology.
“Our witness, that we had invited, was being attacked,” Mr. Gohmert said on Fox News on Monday. “And my friend from Tennessee, as we like to say, he was demanding an apology from her after what had been done to her and her community. My word, the apology should’ve gone the other way.”
Ms. Parker wrote an op-ed in The Tribune-Democrat on Monday about her testimony. She said Mr. Cohen approached her again after the hearing to demand an apology.
“The only apology I have to make is that I do not have more opportunities to testify against the distortions and damage caused by liberals such as Cohen,” Ms. Parker wrote.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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