Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Slams Rep. Clay Higgins For Calling A Witness ‘Boo’

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) slammed Rep. Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana) on Thursday after Higgins referred to lawyer and clean energy advocate Raya Salter as a “young lady” and ” boo.”

“In the four years that I’ve sat on this committee, I have never seen members of Congress, Republican or Democrat, disrespect a witness in the way that I have seen them disrespect you today. I do not care what party they are in. I’ve never seen anything like that,” she said.

“For the gentleman of Louisiana and the comfort he felt in yelling at you like that, there’s more than one way to get a point across,” she added.

Salter had been testifying on climate change before the House Oversight Committee when Higgins began questioning about petrochemicals.

“Everything you have — your clothes, your glasses, the car you got here on, your phone, the table you’re sitting at, the chair, the carpet under your feet — everything you’ve got is petrochemical products. What would you do with that? Tell the world!” he said.

The two went on to have a heated exchange, with the Louisiana Congressman pressing Salter on what she would do to help the black and poor communities in the state, which are the main communities affected by petrochemical plants.

“My good lady, I’m trying to give you the floor, boo,” he said at one point, before going on to add, “You’ve got no answer do you, young lady? About what to do with petrochemical products? So I’ll move on.”

Higgins shared a video of the exchange.

Ocasio-Cortez went on to extend an apology to Salter on behalf of the committee.

“I would hope that someone would issue you an apology, but because I don’t believe he will, I want to apologize to you about the conduct of this committee and what we just witnessed,” she said.

Article by Rose Carter