Nicole Malliotakis Adds an Asterisk on Her Vote to Remove Greene from Committees

Cortney O'Brien | February 05, 2021 9:30 AM

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) was one of just 11 Republicans to vote in favor of the successful resolution to remove the controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylore Greene (R-GA) from her assigned committees, including the House Education and Labor Committee, and the House Budget Committee. The final tally was 230-199.

Colleagues voted to expel her because of past conspiratorial comments Greene has made about the September 11 terror attacks, anti-Semitic remarks, apparent support for violence against Democrats in Congress, and other controversial and inflammatory behavior.

"These were words of the past," Greene insisted on the House floor. "These things do not represent me." She added that "9/11 absolutely happened" and she does "not believe that it's fake."

Still, Malliotakis called Greene's behavior "deeply disturbing," "extraordinarily offensive," and "hurtful" to 9/11 families and Jewish communities.

But while Malliotakis was on board with this ousting, she added an asterisk to her vote. Now that they've done right on their side of the aisle, according to the congresswoman, she argues that it's time for the Democrats to do the same and vote out a couple of their own controversial characters from their respective committees. Namely, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) for his ties to a suspected Chinese spy, and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who's been known to make anti-Semitic comments.

Here's my statement on today's vote: pic.twitter.com/AzqWR9Kdpk
— Office of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (@RepMalliotakis) February 5, 2021

Minority Leader McCarthy says resolution to strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of committee assignments "will only deepen divisions within this House."

"For all their talk about norms and institutions, it's the Democrats who've acted to undermine the people's house." pic.twitter.com/JPWcyHe9zx
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 4, 2021