Democrats plan to tackle Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert

Each congressional Democrats and Republicans have now finalized the lists of members who will sit on committees this Congress, and that features the high-profile Home Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Rep. James Comer, the highest Republican on the committee, has already promised will probably be “in all probability essentially the most thrilling committee” in congressional historical past, and regardless of not too long ago attempting to clear the air about simply what the committee has the facility to do, he plans to make good on guarantees in the course of the midterm marketing campaign cycle to guide an onslaught of investigations into the Biden administration, the president’s household, and a wide range of red-meat conservative cultural points, just like the cancellation of Newsmax on DirecTV.

Democrats on that committee will probably be led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, one of many high-profile Home managers within the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, and he’ll be joined by an all-star line-up of Home Democrats, together with eight new members.

Amongst them: 45-year-old Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the Democrats’ first-year class president, who’s the primary homosexual immigrant to serve in Congress. Previously the mayor of Lengthy Seashore, California, a metropolis simply south of Los Angeles, Garcia has already taken on the mantle of Home Freedom Caucus gadfly — mocking among the proper wing’s most seen figures, like GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, for his or her conspiratorial serious about topics just like the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccine. It’s a private topic for Garcia, whose mom and stepfather died of Covid problems in 2020.

He and his first-term colleagues intend to carry these GOP investigators accountable themselves — becoming the new Democratic technique to go after their Republican inquisitors.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Pictures

I caught up with Garcia on Friday, when he informed me he’s able to “tackle [their] bullshit” and contest each narrative the brand new committee tries to weave. Our dialog, beneath, has been edited for size and readability.

Christian Paz

So you bought your assignments and also you’ll be sitting throughout from among the most colourful, conspiratorial, and controversial Republican members of Congress. How are you anticipating these committees to behave, and what do you assume will probably be like to observe from the skin?

Rep. Robert Garcia

Properly, clearly, Kevin McCarthy’s put essentially the most excessive members of his caucus on Oversight. Now we have of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Paul Gosar. These are of us that take their cues from QAnon, which might be attacking vaccines, which might be obsessive about Hunter Biden’s laptop computer and the president. So it’s necessary that we’re prepared each single day to point out up, to combat again with information, to push again with as a lot power as they’re. And we’re. I’m fired as much as take of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene on, tackle her bullshit, tackle her lies, and make sure that there are sturdy voices on our facet which might be really pushing information.

Christian Paz

Since you’re going to be serving on the Oversight Committee with among the most well-known Freedom Caucus members. Rep. James Comer, the chair, has mentioned to anticipate it to be one of the vital thrilling committees in congressional historical past. And you’ll have one thing like a star-studded solid of Democrats on this committee, too — Maxwell Frost, Dan Goldman, Summer season Lee, Jamie Raskin, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — have you ever had conversations along with your colleagues about what you’re attempt to prioritize, and what narratives you’re attempt to set or change?

Rep. Garcia

Properly, I’m actually excited concerning the freshmen which might be on the committee. I’ve been speaking to Maxwell [Frost, of Florida], and to Dan [Goldman, of New York], and to Summer season [Lee, of Pennsylvania] and I feel we’re all simply fired as much as tackle the lies and tackle the extremists on the opposite facet. Of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene have an enormous megaphone that they’re utilizing to harm individuals. Take what they’re saying about vaccines, for instance. It’s shameful that they’re inflicting hurt to Individuals throughout this nation and so they’re going to make use of this committee to weaponize science and information and fact and so it’s going to be our job to name that out. I feel that we’re prepared to try this.

With the freshmen which might be on this committee, and the entire committee, it’s thrilling. To have the ability to be on a committee with of us like Katie Porter and AOC and Jamie Raskin, after which the freshmen — we’re gonna be actually ready.

Christian Paz

A few of these points — Covid, immigration — are additionally actually private, proper? They’ve had an impact in your life and you’ve got a connection to them. So I’m questioning the way you’re serious about dealing with these matters and what particularly you’re frightened about and anticipating from the Republicans.

Rep. Garcia

Chairman Comer has famous that the primary listening to goes to be on the pandemic, and it’ll occur [this week]. The actual fact is that they’re going to make use of these hearings to attempt to dismantle assist for pandemic prevention and that they’re going to assault how the federal government responded.

I used to be mayor of my neighborhood all the time the pandemic was ravaging communities. Faculties had been closed and folks had been dying. In my metropolis alone, we misplaced over 1,300 individuals. I misplaced two mother and father to the pandemic. And so I deeply perceive how necessary vaccines are, how necessary pandemic prevention is, and what really occurred on the bottom. Mayors had been on the entrance traces responding to the pandemic. And if there was a failure in authorities, it was the Trump administration leaving cities and states to fend for themselves early on.

So I stay up for talking on that subject from a place of authority and of expertise, each of non-public expertise and private loss, but additionally managing a metropolis that President Biden known as [out as] having the most effective pandemic responses within the nation. He known as Lengthy Seashore a nationwide mannequin. The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, mentioned we had one of the best response within the state because it pertains to the pandemic. And so I’m going to be very engaged arising.

Christian Paz

Have you ever talked with among the different freshmen representatives concerning the particular points or gadgets that you simply all plan to confront or reply on?

Rep. Garcia

We’ve all already talked — all of the freshmen which might be on Oversight — everyone knows one another, we’re all pals, all of us assist one another. And the massive factor that we’re all united on, is that we’re not going to permit for the intense voices on the far proper to go unchecked. And so when you’ve of us like Greg [Casar of Texas], and Jared [Moskowitz of Florida] and [Dan Goldman] and [Maxwell Frost], and so many others — we’re all ready for this second. And we’re additionally grateful to the management for believing in us to be that voice, as a result of we perceive the significance of this committee, and what the Republicans are going to attempt to do to the nation by means of this committee. We get that we’re on the entrance traces of this combat.

Christian Paz

You’ve positively began that combat on Twitter no less than, taking some pictures at Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. What’s it about them that makes you notably goal them?

Rep. Garcia

The 2 of them, virtually greater than most people in Congress, have pushed absolutely the craziest lies and falsehoods. And so I feel it’s time for individuals to take them on, and never permit them or give them house to proceed doing this. The factor about our class is that we’re additionally very impatient and we’re aggressive, and we wish to make it possible for we’re pushing again shortly. And that’s one thing that we’re actually targeted on.

Christian Paz

That’s actually attention-grabbing, as a result of fast response and counter-messaging isn’t essentially one thing that earlier courses of Democratic members of Congress had been notably nice at, particularly in at the moment’s media setting. What’s it about you and your classmates that makes you higher fitted to this match?

Rep. Garcia

The group of freshmen coming in are very a lot in contact with our communities again residence, we perceive the facility of speaking to the general public, to a youthful viewers, to of us who’re pissed off with politics. Of us like Comer, and Taylor Greene, and Boebert, and Gosar — all these of us don’t signify the mainstream of American politics or mainstream for actually something. They’re on the perimeter. The Freedom Caucus are on the perimeter of the nation. So all of us which might be coming in as freshmen — you in all probability get a way of this — we’re unapologetic, we’re all pissed off about injustices on this nation, and for me, personally, once I hear or once I see of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene lie about vaccines that might have saved my mother’s life, that she would have completely been first in line to take, that’s the type of stuff, to me, that’s not acceptable.

Christian Paz

It additionally appears to me like this new class of Democrats are higher versed in social media, cultural references, and benefiting from a unique communications ecosystem, one thing earlier committees within the Obama years, didn’t have or couldn’t do properly. You had been tweeting about RuPaul’s Drag Race, for instance, when teasing Rep. George Santos and Taylor Greene.

Rep. Garcia

I feel that’s proper. One factor you’ve from a variety of the freshmen is we come from very various kinds of backgrounds and also you began seeing that occur in Congress a couple of years in the past, when completely different sorts of oldsters began getting elected. It’s extra of a working-class group of recent of us. It’s of us which might be possibly slightly bit extra aggressive, slightly extra impatient, so which means we carry our full selves. For me, sure, I occur to be a RuPaul’s Drag Race fan, I like drag, I feel it’s an excellent artwork type. And I’m not going to apologize for that.

When you’ve of us which might be attacking artists, like drag performers, and you’ve got of us which might be attacking of us which might be trans, they must be known as out. For me, as a homosexual individual and as a queer individual, I’ve a accountability to name them out. And I’m going to make use of no matter instruments I’ve obtainable to try this.

Christian Paz

You’ll even be on the Homeland Safety committee. What’s it going to be prefer to be within the minority and attempt to get stuff accomplished?

Rep. Garcia

Properly our plan is to win again the Home in two years. However yeah, not a variety of stuff goes to get by means of this Congress. Republicans are targeted on nationwide abortion bans, demonizing homosexual youngsters, wars towards books and girls — however we’ve heard from some extra average Republicans, all for immigration reform, and so they perceive there’s a labor scarcity and immigration reform will help.

Being on Homeland Safety is a chance additionally for these progressives which might be on the committee … to carry consideration to points round justice for immigrants, for asylum seekers on the border, and ensuring that these companies are literally doing their job and never harming individuals. And we wish to shield the American individuals from all kinds of assaults, and that features home terrorists, and that features white supremacists.

Christian Paz

And also you’ll be on that committee with Marjorie Taylor Greene, too.

Rep. Garcia

Yeah, I don’t know what sort of luck of the draw I’ve that she additionally occurs to be on Homeland Safety, which is, like, completely insane.

But it surely’s going to be, once more, necessary on that committee to push again towards the demonizing of migrants and the assaults on asylum seekers and being able the place the federal legislation enforcement companies can get scrutiny.

Christian Paz

And eventually, on a extra private degree — are you able to take the warmth? To face the onslaught of supporters these right-wing members have on-line or in actual life, right here in DC or at residence?

Rep. Garcia

I’ve positively considered these issues. However I’ve been by means of greater than most people, as a queer immigrant. Homosexual individuals [and] immigrants are among the most resilient individuals on this nation. This second requires a unique kind of management and Congress member. That’s what our class brings and we’re fired up and able to go.