'One of the most grievous acts': House Democrats shuts down GOP lawmaker who famously insulted Obama
Few members of Congress are able to instantaneously gain national attention on live television, catapulting their status from unknown backbencher to overnight demagogue, but U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) is one of the few.
Many remember his outburst during a joint session of Congress, when the 535 or so members of the House and Senate sat together in Sept. of 2009 to hear President Barack Obama make his case for reforming the U.S. healthcare system, which led to he passage of the Affordable Care Act.
As President Obama told the people's elected leaders that ObamaCare would not insure undocumented immigrants, that "the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally," Congressman Wilson shouted out, "You lie!"
It was moment so stunning, such a historic breach of protocol and respect for the Office of the President, that the House voted 240-179 to reprimand him.
On Monday Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly (photo) delivered a different kind of reprimand, after Rep. Wilson used his time during the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Afghanistan to read a tabloid opinion piece claiming President Joe Biden lied about the withdrawal.
Congressman Connolly accused Wilson of "committing one of the most grievous acts" and suggested he "take more care about enumerating other alleged lies."
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) calls out the damaged credibility of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) for having yelled \u201cYou lie!\u201d during President Obama\u2019s State of the Union address.pic.twitter.com/nkHbIw9qS9— The Recount (@The Recount) 1631562543
Many agreed with the Democrat from Virginia:
Joe Wilson of SC was the national embarrassment who shouted "You lie!" at Barack Obama. His rant at the Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Afghanistan shows that he is even more of a national embarrassment.— Norman Ornstein (@Norman Ornstein) 1631561046
Go @GerryConnolly shut Joe Wilson's sorry butt down!!— Sophia A. Nelson (@Sophia A. Nelson) 1631561092
Joe Wilson tried to lie his way into 2021 relevancy.\n\nGerald Connolly slapped him back down into 2009.\n\n@GerryConnolly @RepJoeWilsonpic.twitter.com/bl9gdBZs54— Evan (@Evan) 1631562246
Rep. Joe Wilson is a complete idiot just spewing bullshit!— Bob Levine (@Bob Levine) 1631560819
Rep. Joe. Wilson of South Carolina would be a more compelling partisan attack dog if he first learned to read before issuing his, ah, written statement. He made himself sound like a semi-literate wackadoodle.— Scot Lehigh (@Scot Lehigh) 1631561041
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) doesn\u2019t really ask a question of Sec. Blinken regarding Afghanistan withdrawal, but does call on him to resign. Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA) delivers what I can only describe as a sick burn in response to Wilson\u2019s remarks.— Chase Laudenslager (@Chase Laudenslager) 1631561224
@RepJoeWilson Joe Wilson of SC was the national embarrassment who shouted "You lie!" at Barack Obama. His rant at the Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Afghanistan shows that he is even more of a national embarrassment.— Steven McCraw (@Steven McCraw) 1631563134
Rep. Joe Wilson in spectacular fashion as always spends his entire time reading as if it's something new, denigrating Biden and Blinken completely forgetting Trump's deal w the Taliban the release of 5,000 murderous enemies and the leader we now have to negotiate with— JimWyler (@JimWyler) 1631561589
Rep. @GerryConnolly just put on a master class in this hearing, smacking down Trump, Pompeo & Wilson, and injection some history and reality about US policy on Afghanistan.— Tom Perriello (@Tom Perriello) 1631561347
