Congressman Harrigan on the Censure and Accountability of Congressman Al Green
Contact: Lexi Kranich (814) 380-4408
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) released the following statement after voting to censure Congressman Al Green (TX-9) through the passage of H. Res. 189, following his disgraceful disruption of President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress:
“The House of Representatives is not a stage for tantrums, nor is it a place for those who put their own self-indulgence above the institution they serve. Today, the House took a stand for order, respect, and the integrity of our chamber by censuring Congressman Al Green for his shameful, calculated spectacle.
Green did not simply voice an objection. He shouted, waved his cane, ignored repeated warnings, and refused to stop until he was physically removed. He was not trying to make a point. He was trying to make a scene.
Worse, he did it at the precise moment President Trump was honoring DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old cancer survivor from Green’s own district. At a time when he should have been standing in recognition of a young boy’s extraordinary courage, he instead chose to scream over him. It was not defiance, it was a disgrace.
And yet, Green’s actions were only the most visible part of a far deeper problem. The Democratic Party’s conduct that night exposed just how out of touch they have become with the values of the American people. They refused to stand for keeping men out of women’s sports. They refused to acknowledge a young girl who was brutally injured by a male athlete. They opposed cutting taxes for hardworking Americans. They would not even show respect for two grieving mothers whose daughters were murdered by illegal aliens.
But when the moment came to stand and cheer, they did so—not for the American people, not for the safety of our children, and not for the strength of our nation, but for Ukraine.
Tuesday night was more than an embarrassment. It was a revelation. It laid bare the warped priorities of the Democratic Party and their total detachment from the country they claim to serve. Censuring Al Green was not just necessary—it was a message that this Congress will not allow itself to be dragged into chaos. The American people deserve leaders who stand for them, who respect the office they hold, and who understand the weight of their responsibility. They deserve better than what they saw on Tuesday night, and as long as I am in Congress, I will fight to make sure they get it.”