Marjorie Taylor Greene Suggested Defending Freedom With ‘Price Of Blood’ - Forbes

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Topline

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) insinuated ahead of last year’s election that violence could eventually become necessary if Republicans lose, claiming Americans may need to reclaim freedom with “the price of blood” in an interview unearthed by Mother Jones Friday, capping off a week of allegations Greene has endorsed violence against her political opponents.

Key Facts

In an interview one week before the November election, Greene told gun rights advocate Chris Dorr that “freedom is on the ballot,” and if voters fail to reelect President Donald Trump, Democrats could “end America as we know it.”

She said future generations may need to wage war to take freedom back, and she framed her political activism and congressional campaign as a way of preventing this outcome, saying “my children’s blood is not going to be spilt because I was too lazy.”

Greene did not respond to a request for comment.

Crucial Quote

“Once it’s gone, freedom doesn’t come back by itself,” Greene said. “The only way you get your freedoms back is it’s earned with the price of blood.”

Key Background

Greene has appeared to back political violence in the past. Before running for Congress, CNN reported this week, Greene liked Facebook posts suggesting FBI agents should be executed and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) should be removed from office via “a bullet to the head.” In a tweet, Greene did not address the specific posts in question but insisted she condemns violence. Greene has also become well-known for supporting a litany of wild conspiracy theories like QAnon.

What To Watch For

A growing number of House Democrats hope to punish Greene for her conspiratorial thinking and apparent openness to violence. Pelosi chided Republicans for placing her on the House’s education committee, some members of Congress have floated symbolically censuring her, and at least two Democrats want to expel her from office (an unlikely outcome since expulsion requires a two-thirds vote). Earlier this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called Greene’s Facebook activity “deeply disturbing” and said he plans to speak with her, but he hasn’t indicated whether he’ll take further action.

Tangent

Dorr, the Ohio-based gun advocate who interviewed Greene, has also hinted about political violence. In 2019, he said “there will be political bodies laying all over the ground” if elected officials try to restrict gun ownership, the Columbus Dispatch reported.