Marjorie Taylor Greene testimony: Georgia rep grilled about Jan 6 and Proud Boys plan at ballot hearing
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Your support makes all the difference.Marjorie Taylor Greene today faced an administrative judge at a hearing that could see the Georgia Republican banned from public office because of her alleged support for the 6 January insurrection at the US Capitol.
The congresswoman was questioned about the 2021 Capitol riot by lawyer Ron Fein, representing a group of voters who filed a challenge with the Georgia secretary of state’s office alleging that Ms Greene helped facilitate the attack that ultimately sought to upend Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.
They say that her behaviour violates a clause in the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment and makes her ineligible to run for reelection.
Among other things, the case against the congresswoman hinges on her repeated use of a “codeword” – specifically, repeated references to the year 1776 – which the lawyers say encouraged the rioters who descended on the Capitol.
For her part, Ms Greene is appealing a federal judge's ruling allowing a challenge to her eligibility to run for reelection to proceed and in the hour leading up to her hearing, the pro-Trump lawmaker took to Twitter to urge her fellow Republicans to “protect election integrity”.
There was an objection from Rep Greene’s counsel, who noted that he represents former President Trump.
Rep Greene is now being questioned by her own counsel, Mr Bopp.
There is another delay while a technical issue is resolved.
Rep Greene is asked about the video she made at the Capitol during the riot on 6 January 2021.
“I was scared. I was very scared. I was concerned. I was shocked, shocked, shocked, absolutely shocked,” she says, adding: “It was very upsetting. I was very, very upset.”
Ms Greene claims to be a victim of the Capitol riot.
Perdue: What is happening to Greene is ‘shameful and wrong'
Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate David Perdue has chimed in with support for Rep Greene, tweeting: “What is happening to @RepMTG is shameful and wrong!”
“I’m proud to stand with her in the fight against the establishment.”
His tweet includes former President Donald Trump’s earlier statement slamming Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for possible “collusion with the Radical Left Democrats” regarding Ms Greene’s treatment.
Greg Bluestein of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes that both Mr Perdue and Mr Trump are wrong to blame Governor Kemp for the challenge to Rep Greene’s place on the ballot in Georgia.
The governor has no say over the matter.
Closing arguments are now underway.
Rep Greene’s lawyer, Mr Bopp says section three of the 14th Amendment cannot apply to anyone anymore: “The simple argument about this is the 1872 Amnesty Act relieved the disability under Section 3 ‘of all persons whomsoever.’
In this case, Rep Greene is ‘of all persons whomsoever.’”
Adam Klasfeld at Law & Crime notes that the act was brought in to forgive former Confederates from some of the penalties of the 14th Amendment, however, a federal judge has already said that it defies “common sense” to say that it applies to future insurrections and not just the Civil War.
The Amendment is written in the future perfect tense, the Act is written in the past tense.
However, he notes that the argument did work for Rep Madison Cawthorn.
Greene lawyer claims Trump ‘executive privilege’ to block question on martial law discussions
The attorney defending Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene against a lawsuit seeking to disqualify her from appearing on the 2022 midterm ballot for supporting the 6 January insurrection attempted to block her from answering a question about whether she discussed the invocation of martial law with former president Donald Trump by invoking “executive privilege”.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Marjorie Taylor Greene lawyer claims Trump ‘executive privilege’ to block question
Attorney James Bopp Jr claims to also represent former president Donald Trump
Mr Bopp concludes by saying US democracy “can’t survive these trials” and called today’s proceedings little more than a “political show trial”.
He says “we have got to put a stop to this, and this is where it should happen”.
For the challengers, Andrew Celli delivers his closing argument.
He says the case breaks down into proving three points:
1) That the candidate has taken the oath of office 2) That the insurrection occurred 3) The candidate engaged and supported it
He says that the disqualification clause is about all these three things, that once the oath has been taken, a special status is conferred upon an individual and that they have responsibilities and there are consequences if you take the oath.
“American history has faced many insurrections in the past,” Mr Celli says, “and they all have the same features. Violence aimed at the processes of government.”
“People violently flooded the Capitol with the goal of striking fear in the hearts of the people who work there,” he says.
“‘Fear.’ ‘Violence.’ ‘Flooding the Capitol.’ These words came out of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s mouth.”
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