In a recent appearance on the progressive MeidasTouch broadcast, Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) took a strong stance against Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) unwavering support for individuals accused of participating, organizing, or leading the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Garcia didn’t mince words, describing such support as “sickening” and emphasizing the gravity of the events that transpired on that fateful day.
Speaking with host Ben Meiselas, Garcia expressed his disbelief at Greene’s repeated attempts to downplay the attack on the Capitol, an assault that resulted in the deaths of five people and left 114 police officers injured. Greene’s dismissal of the seriousness of the insurrection has drawn sharp criticism from those who see her stance as deeply misguided and dangerous.
Garcia, who shares several committee assignments with Greene, went on to share a disconcerting account of his early interactions with the controversial congresswoman when he began his term in Congress earlier this year. He revealed that shortly after arriving in Congress as a freshman representative, he was part of a delegation led by Marjorie Taylor Greene to visit individuals associated with the January 6 insurrection who were incarcerated.
“A lot of folks don’t know about this,” Garcia began, “when I first got to Congress as a freshman, which was just recently, Marjorie led a group, basically, of mostly Republicans, and two Democrats got invited, so I got sent on behalf of the committee on oversight to go visit all the January 6 insurrectionists that are actually in jail.”
He continued to describe a disturbing encounter during this visit: “Marjorie Taylor Greene was leading this group, and the first thing she does was, when we walk in and meet them, is greets them and hugs them and prays with them and apologizes and is treating them like heroes. And I’m sitting there going, ‘This is disgusting, these people attacked our government, they tried to overthrow our government.'”
Meiselas elaborated on Garcia’s account, highlighting the GOP’s involvement in visiting the D.C. jail and engaging with the insurrectionists in a highly inappropriate manner. Garcia, who previously served as the mayor of Long Beach, California, expressed his astonishment at the state of affairs in the United States of America.
“One-hundred percent, it’s totally, it’s totally, it’s crazy,” Garcia responded. “She obviously has no business being in Congress and is completely, in my opinion, a traitor to the country.”
Garcia further criticized Marjorie Taylor Greene’s actions, labeling them as destructive and emphasizing her lack of respect among her colleagues. He also pointed out Greene’s attempts to initiate impeachment proceedings against numerous individuals, including the President and Cabinet secretaries, highlighting what he sees as her misguided and chaotic approach.
In sum, Garcia’s remarks shed light on the deep divisions and controversies within the U.S. political landscape, with the actions and statements of certain elected officials drawing condemnation from those who view their behavior as detrimental to the nation’s democratic values and institutions.
