Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was rebuked by the Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday after she called DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas a “liar.”
But the Georgia Republican did manage to get by the censors and into the committee’s official record her allegation that Rep. Eric Swalwell had a “sexual relationship with a Chinese spy.”
The wild affair took place during a heated hearing with Mr. Mayorkas, which saw Republicans mocking him for evasive answers and Democrats defending him as better than the Trump administration.
Mr. Swalwell, California Democrat, used his time for questions to poke at Republicans over complaints about the FBI. He specifically called Mrs. Greene “anti-police.”
She shot back: “That was quite entertaining for someone who had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy, and everyone knows it.”
Mr. Swalwell immediately demanded that her “words be taken down” — a form of parliamentary rebuke that indicates what was said is beyond the bounds of decorum.
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Committee Chairman Mark Green, Tennessee Republican, ruled against the request. Democrats then appealed but were defeated on an 11-9 vote.
Mrs. Greene was apparently referencing reports from late 2020 that Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, was a political supporter of Mr. Swalwell. The woman also cozied up to other politicians and, according to Axios, developed relationships with two Midwestern mayors.
Mr. Swalwell refused to say at the time whether he had a sexual relationship with her.
After criticizing Mr. Swalwell, Mrs. Greene then went after Mr. Mayorkas, blaming him for allowing the surge of fentanyl that she said is killing school children.
When he said the government is combating fentanyl, she jumped in.
“You’re a liar. You are letting this go on,” she said.
Democrats pounced, saying she had violated the rules again. Mrs. Greene was given a chance to withdraw her words but refused.
“I will not withdraw my remarks because the facts show the proof,” she said.
That’s when Mr. Green, the chairman, stepped in with his ruling, saying she had impugned the secretary’s character.
At that point, Democrats wondered what the difference was between her jab at Mr. Mayorkas and the one against Mr. Swalwell.
Mr. Green said it was a judgment call.
“It does not fit the rules, by the ruling of the chair,” he said.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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