Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and CNN anchor Jim Acosta duked it out Thursday over an alleged text message calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “a traitor.”
Greene attended a Friday court testimony over her alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and whether she called for martial law prior to President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Several text messages reportedly written by Greene were collected to link her to the “Stop the Steal” rally.
Acosta confronted Greene about text messages in which she reportedly called Pelosi a “traitor” and called for former President Donald Trump to issue martial law, which she previously said she did not recall.
“You know, Jim, you have a show, and in all fairness, you try to present this image of me to your viewers and it’s just really not correct,” Greene said.
“Well, we’re just trying to get some answers,” Acosta said. “Did you send a text asking the president to declare martial law? Did you do that?”
Greene said she did “not recall” making those statements.
I am repulsed that people gladly take a paycheck to lie and mischaracterize me like this guy, Jim @Acosta.
I want to think good things about the press, but they behave like this and it makes me sick to my stomach. pic.twitter.com/jSOUPK9RM4
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) April 28, 2022
“Why don’t you be honest? You know, your problem is you’re just one of those liars on television and people hate it,” Greene said. “They can’t stand the liars on television.”
“I’m not the one saying, ‘I don’t recall, I don’t recall, I don’t recall,'” Acosta said.
Acosta then pulled up the alleged text message on his phone. Greene then pointed to a sentence where she reportedly said she did “not know on those things.” (RELATED: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls On Elon Musk To Talk To Users ‘Unjustly Banned’ From Twitter)
“Why don’t you tell that story? You’re lying,” Greene said. “You’re a liar. You know why people do not like you? Because you’re a liar. Why do you want to lie on television for your viewers? You’re accusing me of something and then when you read the actual words it tells another story. It tells the truth. … When you want to be honest and you actually want to talk about me as a real person and present me fairly, then I’ll talk to you. But until then, I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”
Acosta continued to press the Georgia representative on whether she will testify if subpoenaed by the January 6 committee, which Greene immediately refused to answer.
“Stop harassing me,” she said. “I’m not subpoenaed, stop harassing me.”
“I’m just trying to ask you some questions,” Acosta noted.
“You’re not, I didn’t give you permission to. Leave me alone,” she said.
Acosta further questioned her recent statement on the Catholic Church, where she said the church “must stop abusing children and stop covering up the abuse of children.” She told the CNN host to read her statement and accused him of attempting to lie about her.
“We’re not trying to lie about you,” Acosta began. “We’re very politely, professionally trying to ask you a question.”
“No, you’re politely and unprofessionally lying, because that’s what you are: a liar. A professional liar,” Greene said. “Good for you. Way to earn a paycheck.”
A federal judge approved an effort by the nonpartisan group, Free Speech for People, to disqualify Greene from re-election over her alleged involvement in the January 6 riot. Greene’s lawyer, James Bopp Jr., called the ruling “fundamentally antidemocratic” and claimed Greene had condemned the riots. He also said the effort strips voters of the right to vote for the candidate of their choice.