GOP Senator Rob Portman calls on Republican leaders to ‘stand up’ against comments by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene

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“I think the Republican leadership should stand up and say what she said is totally unacceptable,” the Ohio senator told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” “I saw a few videos over the weekend and one had to do with violence as I see it. There is no place for violence in our political dialogue. By the way, there is There is no room for violence in our country. I mean, this is something we have to move away from. So yes. I think people should speak out clearly. “

When asked whether Greene, who has been appointed to the House Education and Labor committee, should be removed from her duties on the committee, Portman said the move could “send a message.”

“I guess that’s something they’re looking at and I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened. And you know, I think that’s the way to send a message,” he said. “The voters who elected her to her constituency in Georgia, you know, have to be respected. On the other hand, when this kind of behavior happens, there has to be a firm response.”

The comments from Portman, a longtime GOP lawmaker who announced early last week that he would not seek re-election after his term expires in 2022, come amid the continued fallout from Greene’s past comments.

CNN’s KFile reported last week that Greene had repeatedly indicated his support for the execution of prominent Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019 before being elected to Congress. The congresswoman has a track record of inflammatory rhetoric, including past remarks using Islamophobic and anti-Semitic tropes, as well as connections to QAnon’s baseless and completely debunked conspiracy theory.

Greene on Saturday bragged about a ‘big call’ with former President Donald Trump and said she ‘will never apologize’ as she faces continued backlash over her past remarks .

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, told Bash on Sunday he rejected “calls for violence and conspiracy,” nodding at Greene’s comments but not directly mentioning his name .

“I have seen the reports you are referring to and if they are correct what is happening is absolutely unacceptable and the leader (of the parliamentary minority) (Kevin) McCarthy will take care of it,” he said. in a separate interview on “The State of the Union.” “But I don’t think it’s fair on our side, there have been extremes on both sides that have confused things as to what’s going on right now.”

While many House Republicans have remained silent on Greene’s recent inflammatory comments and the spread of conspiracy theories, she has not escaped criticism from all in her party.

GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, a frequent critic of Trump, reacted to Greene’s announcement of his appeal with the former president in a tweet of his own, saying: “Lies of a flock of feathers: the nonsense of Marjorie Taylor Greene and the ‘Big Lie’ of a Stolen Election. “

On Saturday, CNN learned that McCarthy had called off a GOP leadership meeting on Tuesday ahead of a meeting scheduled for Wednesday with all Republicans in the House amid dust over Greene’s controversial comments and opinions, McCarthy’s renewed loyalty to Trump and questions about the president of the GOP conference. Liz Cheney and the nine other Republican caucus members who voted to remove the former president.

CNN previously reported that McCarthy planned to speak to Greene next week about his past comments and posts.

On Sunday, Portman defended Cheney as the “great leader” amid a long effort by a group of House Conservatives to oust the representative from Wyoming for her vote to impeach Trump.

“Well, she’s a friend. I’m biased. I think she’s very smart and plays a key role in our party especially on foreign affairs so I hope they don’t go not down that road. I think it’s important to have her voice in the process and my feeling is that she has a lot of support in the Republican Conference, “Portman said.

“I am in the Senate, not in the House, and members of the House, as I was before, hate Senators telling them what to do. The truth is I think she is very valuable to the team and a great leader. “

CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi and Jamie Gangel contributed to this report.

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