Democrats plan to tackle Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert

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

Rep. James Comer, the highest Republican on the committee, has already promised will probably be “probably the most exciting committee” in congressional historical past, and regardless of lately making an attempt to clear the air about simply what the committee has the ability to do, he plans to make good on guarantees through the midterm marketing campaign cycle to guide an onslaught of investigations into the Biden administration, the president’s household, and quite a lot of red-meat conservative cultural points, just like the cancellation of Newsmax on DirecTV.

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

Among 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. Formerly the mayor of Long Beach, California, a metropolis simply south of Los Angeles, Garcia has already taken on the mantle of House 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 fascinated with topics just like the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccine. It’s a private topic for Garcia, whose mom and stepfather died of Covid issues 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 Images

I caught up with Garcia on Friday, when he advised me he’s able to “take on [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 look at from the surface?

Rep. Robert Garcia

Well, clearly, Kevin McCarthy’s put probably the most excessive members of his caucus on Oversight. 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 indicate up, to battle again with info, to push again with as a lot vitality 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 be sure that there are sturdy voices on our aspect which might be really pushing info.

Christian Paz

Because 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 count on it to be some of the thrilling committees in congressional historical past. And you should have one thing like a star-studded forged of Democrats on this committee, too — Maxwell Frost, Dan Goldman, Summer Lee, Jamie Raskin, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — have you ever had conversations together with your colleagues about what you’re attempt to prioritize, and what narratives you’re attempt to set or change?

Rep. Garcia

Well, I’m actually excited in regards to 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 [Lee, of Pennsylvania] and I believe we’re all simply fired as much as tackle the lies and tackle the extremists on the opposite aspect. Folks like Marjorie Taylor Greene have an enormous megaphone that they’re utilizing to harm folks. Take what they’re saying about vaccines, for instance. It’s shameful that they’re inflicting hurt to Americans throughout this nation they usually’re going to make use of this committee to weaponize science and info and fact and so it’s going to be our job to name that out. I believe that we’re prepared to do 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

Some of those 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 fascinated with dealing with these matters and what particularly you’re nervous 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 truth 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 your complete time the pandemic was ravaging communities. Schools had been closed and folks had been dying. In my metropolis alone, we misplaced over 1,300 folks. I misplaced two dad and mom 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 look ahead to talking on that matter from a place of authority and of expertise, each of private expertise and private loss, but in addition managing a metropolis that President Biden known as [out as] having top-of-the-line pandemic responses within the nation. He known as Long Beach 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 developing.

Christian Paz

Have you talked with among the different freshmen representatives in regards to the particular points or gadgets that you just 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 mates, all of us assist one another. And the large 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 might have 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 battle.

Christian Paz

You’ve undoubtedly began that battle on Twitter at the very least, taking some photographs at Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. What is it about them that makes you notably goal them?

Rep. Garcia

The two of them, nearly greater than most folk in Congress, have pushed absolutely the craziest lies and falsehoods. And so I believe it’s time for folks to take them on, and never enable them or give them area to proceed doing this. The factor about our class is that we’re additionally very impatient and we’re aggressive, and we wish to be sure that 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 speedy response and counter-messaging isn’t essentially one thing that earlier lessons of Democratic members of Congress had been notably nice at, particularly in as we speak’s media atmosphere. What is it about you and your classmates that makes you higher suited to this match?

Rep. Garcia

The group of freshmen coming in are very a lot in contact with our communities again dwelling, we perceive the ability of speaking to the general public, to a youthful viewers, to of us who’re pissed off with politics. Folks 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 most likely 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 nicely. You had been tweeting about RuPaul’s Drag Race, for instance, when teasing Rep. George Santos and Taylor Greene.

Rep. Garcia

I believe that’s proper. One factor you might have from plenty of the freshmen is we come from very several types of backgrounds and also you began seeing that occur in Congress a number of years in the past, when completely different sorts of parents began getting elected. It’s extra of a working-class group of latest of us. It’s of us which might be possibly somewhat bit extra aggressive, somewhat extra impatient, so meaning we deliver our full selves. For me, sure, I occur to be a RuPaul’s Drag Race fan, I really like drag, I believe it’s a fantastic artwork kind. And I’m not going to apologize for that.

When you might have 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 have to be known as out. For me, as a homosexual individual and as a queer individual, I’ve a duty to name them out. And I’m going to make use of no matter instruments I’ve out there to do this.

Christian Paz

You’ll even be on the Homeland Security committee. What’s it going to be wish to be within the minority and attempt to get stuff finished?

Rep. Garcia

Well our plan is to win again the House in two years. But yeah, not plenty of stuff goes to get by means of this Congress. Republicans are targeted on nationwide abortion bans, demonizing homosexual youngsters, wars towards books and ladies — however we’ve heard from some extra reasonable Republicans, fascinated with immigration reform, they usually perceive there’s a labor scarcity and immigration reform can assist.

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

Christian Paz

And 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 Security, which is, like, completely insane.

But it’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 businesses can get scrutiny.

Christian Paz

And lastly, on a extra private stage — 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 dwelling?

Rep. Garcia

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