Marjorie Taylor Greene confronted over old social media posts advocating violence against Democrats in court testimony

By Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck, CNN

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was confronted in court on Friday over past social media posts advocating violence against Democrats. At the hearing in Atlanta, to determine if Greene is constitutionally barred from running for reelection because of her alleged role in the January 6 insurrection, the congresswoman repeatedly said she couldn’t remember past comments or interactions.

CNN’s KFile reported last year that, prior to being elected to Congress, Greene had repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019 in comments and posts on social media.

At the hearing, Greene initially denied she had called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “a traitor to our country,” as CNN’s KFile reported.

“No, I haven’t said that,” the congresswoman said.

Greene eventually admitted to having said that about Pelosi as the attorney questioning the congresswoman put up the exhibit with her remarks.

“Oh, no. Wait. Hold on now –” Green quickly interjected. “Oh no, wait, hold on now. I believe that by not securing the border that violates her oath of office.”

Before she ran for Congress in 2020, Greene created a White House petition in January 2019 to impeach the House speaker for “crimes of treason,” citing Pelosi’s support of so-called sanctuary policies that “are serving illegals and not United States citizens,” and because Pelosi did not support then-President Donald Trump’s border wall.

In one speech promoting the petition, Greene suggested Pelosi could be executed for treason.

“She’s a traitor to our country. She’s guilty of treason,” Greene says in the 2019 video, which she posted on Facebook at the time, before the video was removed. “She took an oath to protect American citizens and uphold our laws. And she gives aid and comfort to our enemies who illegally invade our land. That’s what treason is. And by our law representatives and senators can be kicked out and no longer serve in our government. And it’s, uh, it’s a crime punishable by death is what treason is. Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason.”

Asked again about her comments at Friday’s hearing, Greene said she could not remember making them when asked if she had said it.

“According to this CNN article I did,” Greene said. “I don’t remember. I don’t recall saying all of this.”

Greene also denied having any knowledge of liking a post on her personal Facebook, advocating that Pelosi be shot in the head and executed. In one post, from January 2019, Greene’s account liked a comment that said “a bullet to the head would be quicker” to remove Pelosi.

“I have no idea who liked that,” Greene said, claiming she had “many people” managing her social media, echoing a statement she had posted last year on Twitter in which she did not deny that she liked posts and replied to comments but claimed that many people have run her Facebook page.

Early during her testimony, Greene claimed that “I never mean anything for violence. All of my words never, ever, mean anything for violence.”

Greene also said she could not recall if she or anyone on her staff had spoken with her friend and associate Anthony Aguero, who took part in the mob entering the Capitol.

“I don’t recall,” Greene said.

CNN previously reported that Aguero had chanted “heave-ho” as rioters attempted to break in and he later entered the Capitol Rotunda. After leaving, he chanted “our house” on the Capitol steps. In a livestream one day after the riot, he attacked those who condemned the ransacking of the Capitol. The FBI previously declined to comment on whether it was investigating Aguero in an email to CNN.

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