House hearing disrupted as witness verbally attacks top Democrat
A House Hearing Turns Chaotic as Witness Launches Verbal Attack
A House hearing meant to investigate Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas quickly devolved into chaos after a witness launched a rare verbal attack on a senior Democrat and Republicans erupted in defense.
Lawmakers from both parties broke out into a heated exchange Wednesday afternoon moments after witnesses concluded opening remarks before the House Homeland Security Committee in Washington.
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The hearing spiraled after a Republican witness, former Drug Enforcement Administration official Derek Maltz, launched a personal attack on the panel’s top-ranking Democrat, Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS).
“For the ranking member, I’m sorry we’re wasting your time,” Maltz said at the conclusion of his opening statement.
Thompson interjected after Maltz finished his remarks and asked why the former government employee had referenced him.
“Because in your opening statement, you said that this was a charade, it was a waste of time — whatever words you used — and the kids are dying at record levels, and I don’t appreciate that,” Maltz said.
Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) followed up and told Maltz that he could not address Thompson or anyone else on the panel because decorum rules forbid it.
Reps. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) and Troy Carter (D-LA) said Green should have said more to rein in accusations from witnesses.
“I appreciate that comment, but I really want to raise a point of order,” Ivey said. “I’ve never seen a witness personally attack a member like that at a hearing.”
Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) then erupted, accusing Thompson of disrespecting the witnesses in his opening statement.
“The ranking member said he was embarrassed that we would undertake this … that witnesses responded to that because it was an attack on that witness,” Bishop said.
Green then got the hearing on track to proceed to questions for the witnesses.
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Mayorkas was not present at the hearing, though he’s slated to appear before the House Judiciary Committee next week. The hearing was the second in a six-part series aimed at investigating whether Mayorkas has been derelict in his duties since taking office two and a half years ago.
On Wednesday evening, the committee released a 112-page report in which members outlined their case that Mayorkas was unfit to be secretary.
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