Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters shut down Republican colleague Jim Jordan on Thursday during Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony before a congressional subcommittee.
Jordan was questioning Fauci about the country’s pandemic response and had gone over his prescribed time limit when Waters urged him to “respect the chair and shut your mouth.”
The congressman from Ohio has repeatedly criticized Fauci, who was appointed to the White House coronavirus task force under former President Donald Trump, to whom Jordan has been loyal. At the time Waters cut him off, Jordan was repeatedly demanding the nation’s top infectious disease expert answer the question, “When do Americans get their First Amendment liberties back?”
Jordan expressed that he felt the government’s response to COVID-19 — the virus that has killed more than 564,000 Americans — has impacted too many elements of normal daily life.
Fauci was able to defend himself, even before Waters jumped in.
“You’re making this a personal thing, and it isn’t,” Fauci told the Republican lawmaker.
Jordan responded derisively, referring to Waters: “Your recommendations carry a lot of weight, Dr. Fauci. We just had the chair of the Financial Services Committee say she loves you and you’re the greatest thing in the world.”
From there, the questioning devolved as Jordan ran over his allotted time, subcommittee chairman Rep. Jim Clyburn attempted to cut Jordan off and Waters made it clear she’d had enough.
Watch the clip above.