WASHINGTON — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Friday repeatedly deflected questions about her involvement in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, and efforts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the outcomes of the 2020 presidential election.
Free Speech for People, an election and marketing campaign finance reform group, filed a lawsuit final month on behalf of a gaggle of Georgia voters, alleging that Greene facilitated the assault on the Capitol. Greene testified below oath for practically 4 hours as a witness in the course of the hearing, as challengers make their case in opposition to her eligibility to run for re-election.
Greene was requested quite a few questions about if she had any connection to the occasions that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021, and in the times main as much as the riot. The congresswoman stated she was conscious individuals had deliberate to come back to Washington, D.C., to “support our objection” to the election outcomes in Congress.
Asked when she first grew to become conscious that there can be a big demonstration on that day, Greene stated, “I don’t recall.” Asked if she thought-about collaborating in the demonstration, Greene stated it was on her calendar however she was too busy making ready to oppose the Electoral College vote totals, which confirmed President Joe Biden’s victory.
Greene, who was sworn into Congress a couple of days earlier than the riot, additionally stated she did not bear in mind talking to individuals about the deliberate demonstrations for Jan. 6.
“I don’t remember” was a solution she gave incessantly in the course of the hearing Friday.
She provided the identical response when requested if she had spoken to anybody in the White House about Jan. 6, and stated she could not “recall” if anybody had ever talked about to her that the occasions might flip violent.
Pointing to the 14th Amendment’s prohibition on anybody who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from working for federal or state workplace, the go well with alleges that Greene is ineligible to run as a result of she engaged in obstructing the switch of presidential energy, in half by means of her rhetoric difficult the election outcomes.
Asked if she had ever stated House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is a traitor to the nation, Greene stated she hadn’t made such a remark. The legal professional then offered proof that she did make that assertion.
She additionally deflected when requested if she had preferred a publish about a bullet to Pelosi’s head: “I have had many people manage my social media account over the years. I have no idea who liked that.”
Andrew Celli, an legal professional for the plaintiffs, stated in his closing arguments that the congresswoman “was one among a number of chief who gathered the kindling, who created the situations made it attainable for there to be an explosion of violence on the Capitol on Jan. 6.”
Greene’s attorney, James Bopp, dismissed the day’s events as a “political present trial.”
“We come right into a hearing with all these cameras and all these live-streaming — why are they in this? Because Representative Greene’s on the poll? No. This is a political agenda.”
Attorneys on both sides have until Thursday to submit briefs to the court. The judge said he plans to finalize his recommendation “about every week later.”
That recommendation will then go to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who will decide whether Greene remains on the ballot for the state’s May 24 primary.
With early voting slated to begin on May 2, it’s possible some voters will have cast their ballots before the issue is resolved.
Greene’s attorney has filed an appeal in federal court to stop the challenge altogether.
Anjali Huynh, Blayne Alexander and Charlie Gile contributed.
