Who is Steny Hoyer? Majority leader digs up Marjorie Taylor Greene's FB post threatening Squad members with AR-15
Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene has been in the headlines for the past few days ever since both Democrats, as well as a few Republicans, have been vocal about her removal from the House committees. The House on February 4, 2021, approved a resolution to remove her from assigned education and budget committees, with a 230-199 motion.
Greene, who is a vocal supporter of ex-President Donald Trump has been condemned by Democrats and many Republicans for spouting numerous conspiracy theories in videos and social media activity way before she took office this year. "These were words of the past and these things do not represent me, they do not represent my district and they do not represent my values," Greene had said of her past posts and interactions on social media.
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Why was Marjorie Taylor Green removed?
Greene’s deep belief in unfounded conspiracy theories like the QAnon theory or that 9/11 was staged, are some of the major reasons for the rising disapproval among US representatives, alongside her open support for violence against Democrats. The controversial politician has come under fire once again as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer displayed an old photograph of her holding an AR-15 gun with the photographs of Democrat Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib in the background, branding herself as ‘Squad’s Worst Nightmare’.
The photo was posted in September 2020 and was taken down by Facebook soon afterward for violating its Community Standard policies. In the post, Greene called for ‘strong conservative Christians’ to unite and stand up against the ‘socialists’. Hoyer carried around an enlarged version of the photo on the House floor asking what message it sends out.
“No member ought to be permitted to engage in the kind of behavior that Rep. Greene has and face zero consequences. Tonight this House has an opportunity to take a stand for truth and decency. Let us not do nothing. Let us do the right thing,” Hoyer tweeted later.
No member ought to be permitted to engage in the kind of behavior that Rep. Greene has and face zero consequences. Tonight this House has an opportunity to take a stand for truth and decency. Let us not do nothing. Let us do the right thing. https://t.co/PlBuWROK16
— Steny (Wear a Mask) Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) February 4, 2021
Who is Steny Hoyer?
The 81-year-old Steny Hoyer is a Democrat Representative for Maryland’s 5th Congressional district since 1981. Since 2019, he has been a House Majority leader, making him the most senior Democrat in the House. Born in New York City, Hoyer grew up in Maryland with a Danish father and American-Scottish mother, who, incidentally was a descendant of John Hart.
Initially, Hoyer fared quite poorly in his college studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, It was a speech from John F Kennedy when he was a senator, that changed Hoyer’s life. Few years later, Hoyer graduated magna cum laude from his university. In 1966, he earned his JD degree from Georgetown University Law Center and the same year, Hoyer was elected as President of the Maryland State Senate, making him the youngest in the history of the state.
In 1981 Hoyer won the Congress seat by a narrow margin and before 2019, Hoyer had served as a House Majority leader in the past as well, under Speaker Nancy Pelosi from 2007 to 2011. He is considered the number two House Democrat after Speaker Pelosi.
Hoyer’s action against Greene went viral quite soon, with most people agreeing that it was a bold move on his part.