Democrats called for the removal from 46-tear-old recently minted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for social media posts in 2018 and 2019, saying that school shooting massacres in at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. and Parkland, Fl.’s Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High school were staged. Parents of the victims expressed outrage, demanding that Greene be removed from office. Greene was a big fan of 74-year-old former President Donald Trump who lost the Nov. 3, 2020 presidential election to 78-year-old President Joe Biden. Reports from Greene’s social media posts indicate that she called for executing prominent Democrat leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Greene also professed undying support for QAnon, the right wing conspiracy group against organized pedophilia.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), a key ally of Trump, appointed Greene to the House Committee on Education and Labor, insulting Democrats who resent Greene’s conspiratorial views. “It’s absolutely appalling and I think that the focus has to be on the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives for the disregard they have for the deaths of those children,” Pelosi said at her weekly press conference. Rep. Jahan Hayes (D-Conn.), who represents Newtown, collected signatures to ask McCarthy to remove Greene from her post on the Education and Labor Committee. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) took it a step further introducing a resolution to have Greene removed from office, requiring a two-thirds vote. Greene’s statements denying well-documented school shootings has offended almost everyone, all calling for her removal from office.
McCarthy’s coming under more pressure to act decisively with Greene, questioning her actual views on school shootings, Sept. 11 and other controversial topics. Greene was seen on video heckling David Hogg, a Parkland shooting survivor who started the March for Our Lives group against school gun violence. March for Our lives demonstrated outside Greene’s Rome, Georgia office. Hogg’s group calls for Greene’s immediate resignation from Congress for her views on Sandyhook and Parkland school shootings. “We’re tired of her bringing shame onto our region,” said Omar Rodriguez, an organizer with Georgia Justice Coalition in Greene’s district. Greene professes her undying support for Trump, as does McCarthy. McCarthy can’t have it both ways trying to lead the GOP in Congress, and, at the same time, placating Trump and unhinged members of his GOP caucus.
McCarthy’s task when he meets with Greene is to ascertain how far over the deep end she’s gone, raising serious questions regarding her fitness for office. No member of the House and Senate can be so mentally ill that they back clearly unsubstantiated conspiracy theories reflecting badly on the party. “She is far outside the mainstream of the Republican Party, and the RJC [Republican Jewish Coalition] is working closely with House Republican leadership regarding next steps in this matter,” RJC said. With all the reports about Greene adopting views beyond the pale, it’s time for McCarthy to have Greene psychiatrically evaluated to ascertain her fitness for public office. No one suffering from a dangerous mental illness that impairs judgment should be allowed to serve in Congress, the Presidency or the Federal Courts. Greene’s views are not just out of the mainstream—they’re insane.
McCarthy must ask the chief medical officer of Congress to ascertain whether or not Greene suffers from a diagnosable mental illness. Holding conspiratorial views is not enough to oust someone from elected office, that’s left to voters the next time around. “If you say this is not your party, actually call it out and hold her accountable, because Republicans always act as if they’re the part of decency and respect,” said Hogg. McCarthy can’t pressure Greene to quit unless there’s a clear-and-present-danger of a diagnosable mental disorder. While there’s no one type that’s drawn to conspiracy theories, mental disorders involving paranoia are far more serious. Psychiatric experts must determine whether or not her public remarks reflect and underlying mental disorder before calling for her removal. Hogg may not know it’s more complicated to determine whether or not someone’s mental illness impacts their ability to faithfully execute their oath of office.
Whatever madness comes out of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s mouth, GOP leader McCarthy must have her medically evaluated to determine whether or not she’s fit for duty in elective office. It’s not enough that Greene has the endorsement of former President Trump, nor what McCarthy and Trump plan for taking back the GOP’s House majority in the next Midterm election. When it comes to Greene, questioning undeniable school shootings, the Pentagon Sept. 11 attack, whether the Clintons had anything to do with JFK Jr.’s death, Jewish space lasers and, of course, her belief in QAnon’s pedophile conspiracy theory involving Hillary and Pelosi. Whatever the conspiracy, Greene’s shown that her judgment requires a wellness check by mental health professionals to ascertain her fitness for office. It’s not a question of “decency” but one of mental health, to determine whether or not Greene should be removed from office.
