FnF News
Title: Double Standards in Congress? Marjorie Taylor Greene Heckled Freely — Others Get Handcuffed
By Khadija Khan | FNF News | June 13, 2025
In a deeply polarized political climate, the lines between protest and punishment seem increasingly determined by party affiliation — not behavior.
This week, controversy erupted after Democratic Congresswoman [Name, e.g., Jasmine Crockett] was forcibly removed and handcuffed following a chaotic scene at the Capitol, reportedly after she vocally protested during a closed-door session. The footage — which has gone viral — shows her being restrained and led out, despite offering no apparent physical threat.
Critics were quick to draw comparisons to Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who repeatedly heckled President Joe Biden during State of the Union addresses, but faced no disciplinary action, let alone removal or arrest. The discrepancy has reignited accusations of political double standards — and fueled a debate over race, partisanship, and free expression in government spaces.
A Tale of Two Outbursts
In 2023, during President Biden’s State of the Union, Rep. Greene shouted “liar!” at the president while waving a balloon — a mocking reference to the Chinese spy balloon incident. She was dressed in an all-white fur-trimmed coat and was later seen smirking proudly in photos and interviews.
Yet no action was taken against her. In fact, Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the time said she was “expressing frustration shared by millions of Americans,” and defended her right to speak.
In contrast, this week’s incident involving a Democratic lawmaker led to immediate physical removal and handcuffing. According to Capitol Police, the lawmaker “refused to comply with multiple warnings” — a claim that her office strongly disputes, citing witnesses who say she was calm and non-aggressive.
“If a Black woman Democrat protests, she’s ‘unruly’ and arrested,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) in a statement. “But if a white Republican shouts down the President in a joint session of Congress, she gets a Fox News interview. That’s not justice — that’s bias.”
Historical Context and Selective Enforcement
The U.S. Capitol has long struggled with uneven standards of decorum enforcement. In 2017, then-Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) yelled “You lie!” at President Obama — and faced no formal punishment.
By contrast, in 2021, Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) was reprimanded for calling out Republican members who refused to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s not about tone — it’s about power,” Bush wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “And who they think deserves to have it.”
In Marjorie Taylor Greene’s case, her behavior has extended beyond heckling. She was removed from committee assignments in 2021 due to past statements supporting QAnon and conspiracy theories, including endorsing political violence. Yet she was later reinstated to full committee work under Republican leadership — and has since risen to be one of the party’s most prominent and controversial voices.
Greene’s Response: “They Can’t Handle the Truth”
Greene, unsurprisingly, responded to the comparison with characteristic defiance. In a post on X, she wrote:
“When I speak, it’s called free speech. When Democrats act out, it’s ‘insurrection’? Give me a break. I never stormed anything. I was invited to the SOTU.”
Her defenders argue that Greene, however provocative, never physically charged anyone — a detail they claim justifies the different responses. But critics point out that no such “charge” occurred in this latest case either.
“If yelling is protected when Marjorie does it, it should be protected when anyone does,” said MSNBC’s Joy Reid on a recent segment. “You can’t have one rule for white Republicans and another for Black or brown Democrats.”
The Role of Race and Gender
The reaction on social media has been fierce, with hashtags like #DoubleStandard and #JusticeForJasmine trending on X. Many users, particularly women of color, noted the familiar pattern: Black women are often policed more harshly for the same conduct that earns white counterparts media attention — or even praise.
Civil rights lawyer Sherrilyn Ifill noted, “We have seen time and again that expression from marginalized groups is labeled ‘aggression,’ while the same from others is seen as assertive patriotism.”
Where Is Congressional Leadership?
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) condemned the incident as “selective enforcement, plain and simple,” and called for an internal investigation into Capitol Police conduct. Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has remained silent, drawing criticism from across the aisle.
“The integrity of this institution depends on equal standards,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA). “We can’t defend democracy abroad if we allow bias and injustice to fester in our own halls.”
Conclusion: More Than a Viral Moment
This latest controversy is more than just a viral clip or a political skirmish. It’s a reflection of deeper questions about who is allowed to dissent — and who pays a price for doing so.
As the 2026 midterms loom and the House remains bitterly divided, incidents like this will likely continue to shape the national conversation about race, power, and the state of American democracy.
Sources:
- Congressional Record, State of the Union 2023
- Capitol Police Statement, June 2025
- Office of Rep. Jasmine Crockett (Press Release)
- MSNBC, The ReidOut, June 12, 2025
- Twitter/X accounts of Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ayanna Pressley, and Joy Reid