By Ashlee Banks
Special to the AFRO
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.-1), and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, (D-Texas-30), engaged in a tense argument during a House hearing, which ended with Mace challenging Crockett by asking if she wanted to “take it outside.”
The heated dispute arose on Jan. 14 during a debate on civil rights and transgender issues, with Crockett pushing for the revival of a subcommittee on civil rights and criticizing Mace’s remarks about transgender individuals.
“I can see that somebody’s campaign coffers really are struggling right now,” Crockett said. “So is gonna keep saying ‘trans, trans, trans, trans’ so that people will feel threatened, and child, listen… .”
“I am no child, do not call me a child, I am no child,” Mace interrupted, prompting committee Chairman James Comer, (R-Ky.-1), to attempt unsuccessfully to restore order.
“If you want to take it outside, we can do that,” Mace continued, addressing Crockett directly.
After further dialogue, Comer determined that Mace’s statement was not an incitement to violence, suggesting that she could have been proposing to “have a cup of coffee or perhaps a beer” outside.
Mace later posted on social media about the incident, admitting she had “gone off” on Crockett but clarifying that her invitation to go outside was not intended as a threat.
“Let me be clear: I wanted to take the conversation off the floor to have a more constructive conversation, not to fight. At no point was there any intention of causing harm to anyone,” she wrote in one post.
Crockett, however, told the AFRO that Mace is “a liar.”
“You can’t threaten violence in the House in a committee. But of course, you know there are those that don’t believe White privilege exists but clearly, it does, because she decided to exemplify it, and they allowed her to get away with it,” said Crockett.
“While she’s talking about ‘taking it outside,’ she needs to understand there are some people that follow me that really will meet her outside and are very clear that they… need me inside, fighting for what they need for them,” the Texas representative added.
U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10) supported Crockett in a statement.
“Nancy Mace asked Jasmine Crockett to ‘go outside.’ Chair Comer ruled that threatening violence against another member is okay, as long as it’s in the form of a question! Wild,” the Florida representative said.
Mace has recently gained attention for her actions toward transgender people. After the election of the first openly transgender member of Congress, Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., Mace introduced a resolution to bar transgender women from using women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill. Mace later admitted that the resolution was “absolutely” intended to target McBride and has since traveled to her state to discuss it with the Republican Party.
Crockett told the AFRO that during the hearing, Mace criticized the transgender community because she saw it as a financial opportunity.
“This was all about a stunt for her to raise money. That’s why she went after trans folk, because she wanted to raise money,” said the Democratic lawmaker.
The House Oversight Committee room, where this exchange took place, was also the site of another contentious hearing last year. In May, a meeting spiraled into disorder when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., replied to a question from Crockett with, “I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.” When Comer ruled that Greene’s comment did not violate committee rules, Crockett responded, “I’m just curious, just to better understand your ruling. If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blond, bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”