Congressional Black Caucus Chair Accuses GOP Congressman Of Poking Her, Telling Her To ‘Kiss My Ass’

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 12: Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, on Tuesday accused a Republican colleague of poking her and telling her to “kiss my ass” after she asked him to put on a mask. 

“Today, while heading to the House floor for votes, I respectfully asked my colleague Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) to put on a mask while boarding the train,” Beatty tweeted. “He then poked my back, demanding I get on the train. When I asked him not to touch me, he responded, ‘kiss my ass.’”

She added that the episode is indicative of a bigger issue with Republican members flouting health and safety guidelines. At the Capitol, especially on the House side, the divide between Democrats and Republicans wearing masks is particularly stark. 

Beatty ended her thread by tweeting that when Rogers is ready to “grow up” and “apologize” for his behavior, he knows where to find her. 

“This afternoon, I met with Congresswoman Beatty to personally apologize,” Rogers said in a statement to TPM. “My words were not acceptable and I expressed my regret to her, first and foremost.”

Some Republicans have been going maskless as a political statement, both in the halls and on the House floor.

The House approved a resolution last year saying that members will be fined $500 the first time they fail to wear a mask on the House floor, and $2,500 for subsequent violations.

As of the end of December 2021, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Andrew Clyde (R-GA) had racked up more than $100,000 in combined fines, according to the New York Times. Those penalties are taken directly from their paychecks. 

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  1. Damn, Hal is an old fucker.

  2. The entire
    Republican side of Congress really needs to be sent back to etiquette classes. Or better still, jut sent home until they learn to act like civil adults. There is no excuse for treating a colleague like this.
    I guess this bozo thinks his behavior shows how macho and smart he is. Of course in the real world it just shows that he was raised in a pig pen.

  3. Avatar for tsp tsp says:

    Holy Cow! The depth of the GOP’s disrespect for anyone and anything outside their allegiance is staggering!

  4. cue the lack of civility trope from the media in 3…2…1…

    The real story for years now is that the GQP is the party of thugs
    bigots and bullies

  5. What – he was restrained enough not to use the word “uppity”?

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