Comer, Raskin get into shouting match: ‘Somebody needs therapy here’
Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) got into a heated shouting match during a congressional hearing Wednesday.
The two top lawmakers on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee shouted over each other for more than five minutes during a hearing on the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday. They hurled questions at each other during an exchange that largely focused on the House GOP’s impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
“So somebody needs therapy here, but it’s nobody on our side of the aisle,” Raskin said at one point after Comer asked Raskin what business the Biden family was involved in.
Comer responded by slamming his gavel and asking the lawmakers to return to the intended topic of the hearing. Raskin continued to speak over him and demanded that Comer give him his time back to ask questions, saying the committee chair interrupted his allotted time.
“Sit down, everybody come back. This is about China. We asked a simple question now. Ms. Pressley you are out of order, sit down!” Comer said as he continued to bang the gavel, referring to Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).
When the committee continued its hearing, Comer asked the record to show “that Mr. Raskins could not answer the question.”
“Let me start with this. My last name is Raskin, OK? We’ve sat next to each other for more than a year, you don’t have to add the S. Number two, I would like my time restored,” Raskin responded.
“Number three, you have not identified a single crime. But what is the crime that you want to impeach Joe Biden for and keep this nonsense going? Why? What, what is the crime? Tell America right now!” he continued.
Comer responded, “You’re about to find out,” and the panel moved on.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) also weighed in on the heated debate.
“I’m in tears as I’m sitting in Oversight. Comer is losing his SHIT!” she wrote on the social media platform X.
When reached for comment, an Oversight Committee spokesperson emphasized that Raskin did not answer Comer’s question.
“Chairman Comer asked Ranking Member Raskin a simple question: what goods or services did the Bidens provide to receive millions of dollars from China, Russia, and other foreign countries? The Ranking Member failed to answer the question and resorted to his usual talking points on President Trump,” the spokesperson said.
Comer and Raskin have been pitted against each other as the chair and ranking member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee that is investigating Biden and his family. Comer described the relationship between the two of them as “toxic” earlier this year, while Raskin said “the substance of what [Republicans are] standing for now is corrupt and dangerous.”
The Hill has reached out to Raskin’s office for comment.
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