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During President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night, Democratic Representative Al Green was forcibly removed from the House chamber following an interruption. House Speaker Mike Johnson directed the House Sergeant at Arms to eject Green after he stood up to voice his objections.
As Trump spoke to the lawmakers, Green shouted, “You have no mandate!” This prompted a raucous response from Republican members, who countered with chants of “USA! USA!” drowning out Green’s protests.
Johnson, attempting to maintain decorum, urged attendees to settle down; however, Green persisted with his outburst. Consequently, the Speaker ordered the Sergeant at Arms to escort Green out of the chamber. As he was leaving, Republican lawmakers stood up in support of Johnson, chanting, “Get out!”
Before his removal, Green shouted, “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!” in reference to Trump’s policies and proposals.
Representative Green, who is 77 years old, has been serving Texas’s Ninth Congressional District since 2005 and is known for his vocal stance against Trump, having spearheaded impeachment efforts since 2017. He was particularly notable for introducing articles of impeachment during Trump’s first term, focusing on Trump’s decision to dismiss former FBI Director James Comey.
In January, Green announced his intention to present new articles of impeachment against Trump related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. “The movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring Articles of Impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done,” Green declared. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the president of the United States, the most powerful person in the world.”
Prior to his political career, Green practiced law as a civil rights attorney and held the position of president at the Houston NAACP for nearly ten years.
Green was not alone in expressing dissent during Trump’s speech. Other Democratic lawmakers also voiced their disagreement, with multiple representatives exclaiming phrases like “Not true!” and “Those are lies!” California Congressman Gil Cisneros was noted for reportedly shouting, “Talk about the $400 million to Tesla!” while various representatives displayed protest signs that read “Musk steals.”
Throughout the address, several Democrats chose to exit the chamber, including notable figures like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representatives Veronica Escobar, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, and Jamie Raskin. Certain lawmakers left as a sign of protest, with some seen wearing shirts emblazoned with the word “resist.”
Interestingly, Trump’s acknowledgment of the United States’ financial assistance for Ukraine momentarily received more applause from Democratic members than from their Republican counterparts.
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www.yahoo.com