Rep. Richard McCormick (R-Ga.) on Thursday publicly apologized after fellow Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) accused him of physical aggression during a private meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La).
What Happened: Greene earlier this month accused McCormick of “aggressively” touching her during a disagreement over two censure resolutions against Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich).
Greene claimed that McCormick “grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.” McCormick, who appeared on C-SPAN, downplayed the allegations and expressed regret for his actions towards Greene.
“I literally placed my hands on her shoulders and said, ‘At least you and I can have an honest conversation,'” McCormick said during the interview.
"I believe in the power of touch."
He further clarified that his actions were meant as a compliment, not an aggression.
Why It Matters: Greene had previously described the incident as “very serious” and an “assault.” After the incident, Greene withdrew her bill while McCormick’s resolution was passed. The incident had further escalated the ongoing tension within the Republican party.
McCormick, who voted against Greene’s censure resolution, denied the allegations, calling his actions a ‘friendly gesture.’ “My intention was to encourage Rep. Greene by making a friendly gesture,” McCormick said.
Meanwhile, the ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) resigned from the House before the end of the year rather than serving the remainder of his term. He described his journey as "kind of bittersweet."
"It's not the timing I wanted to leave," McCarthy said.
Photo Courtesy: Lev Radin on Shutterstock.com
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