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During a congressional hearing Thursday, Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene drew sharp criticism for homophobic comments made toward Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
The hearing was part of the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee’s Select Coronavirus Crisis hearing, with Weingarten called to answer questions on the AFT’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and school shutdowns.
Greene, known for her controversial and often homophobic statements, grilled Weingarten on her credentials to offer advice about classrooms or children, despite Weingarten having worked primarily as a full-time teacher in the 1990s. At one stage, Greene questioned whether Weingarten was a mother and repeatedly demanded to know if she was a medical doctor.
Weingarten, who is gay and married to Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, stated she is a "mother by marriage," to which Greene responded:
"By marriage, I see."
She added:
“You need to admit you’re just a political activist. Not a teacher, not a mother, not a medical doctor.”
You can watch what happened in the video below.
\u201cGreene: People like you need to admit that you\u2019re just a political activist.. not a mother\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
Greene’s comment that Weingarten was “not a mother” drew swift criticism from Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, who is also gay and told Weingarten:
"You are a mother. Thank you for being a great parent."
In a Twitter post which featured a video of the exchange, Garcia pledged to "object" whenever Greene "says that adopted or parents through marriage aren't real parents."
\u201cWhen Marjorie Taylor Greene says that adopted or parents through marriage aren't real parents, you'll be damn sure I'll object.\u201d— Congressman Robert Garcia (@Congressman Robert Garcia) 1682546600
Others directed their own criticisms at Greene.
\u201c@Acyn So Step-Parents don't count in @RepGreeneMT eyes of the @HouseGOP\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
\u201c@Acyn Imagine being this full of hate all the time \u2026\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
\u201c@Acyn Hey Margie \n\nFYI, you can be a political activist AND a mother. \n\nI know, complex thoughts are hard.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
\u201c@Acyn The [neither] Gentle[nor a]Lady from Georgia is currently Karening all over congress like the assistant manager at Cracker Barrel refused to refund her chipped Santa-on-a-tractor ornament.\n\nI\u2019d say the GOP should do something about this, but pulsating hate is what they want.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
\u201c@Acyn She's a cruel bully. For just about every witness she bullies, she has to point out that she's a member of congress and they are not. What's the point of that? Vile behavior from a sitting congresswoman.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
\u201c@Acyn everytime I\u2019m unlucky enough for her to show up on my timeline, it\u2019s always her saying something so comically horrible & it seems like her peers literally can\u2019t stand her\u2026 how is she real??\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
\u201c@Acyn A continual and perpetual embarrassment\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1682544364
Following the congressional hearing, Weingarten took to Twitter to express her gratitude for the opportunity to clarify the AFT's response to the pandemic.
In a statement released by the AFT, Weingarten stated her appreciation for the subcommittee's attention to the issue of children's learning during the pandemic.
She urged lawmakers to prioritize practical solutions to help students rebound and excel, rather than indulging in politics and cultural conflicts that undermine vulnerable students and educators.
\u201cI'm glad that I had the chance to set the record straight today. https://t.co/Tj57ty3Hv5\u201d— Randi Weingarten \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udfff\ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83c\udf93 (@Randi Weingarten \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udfff\ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83c\udf93) 1682559274
Greene has made a name for herself by regularly sharing misinformation and trafficking conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic.
She previously referred to vaccine mandates as a form of "segregation" and stoked significant controversy after she invoked the Holocaust in reference to lockdown measures and mask-wearing.
Greene was previously suspended from Twitter after she violated the platform's rules regarding COVID-19 misinformation. At the time, she claimed the FDA "should not approve the covid vaccines" and vaccines were "failing" and not actually curbing the spread of the virus.